Chapter 97
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: I Will Still Move Forward (2)
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Kael was a personal matter.
Lee Eun-hee, who knew about the favor from Rudie, stepped back without protest.
“Don't die!”
“You worry about yourself.”
“Is that the only way you can talk when someone's worried about you? Fine! Go ahead and die!”
Somewhat more relaxed, Lee Eun-hee climbed down the railing.
“Ah, my lady?”
“Kyaaaaah!”
“What in the world... My lady, are you alright? This way...”
“Don't go!”
“What do you mean... You... H-how are you still alive... *Cough*...”
The guard, stabbed by Kael's sword, collapsed to the floor.
He swung his sword through the air, flinging blood in all directions.
“Let me ask you one thing. Is that your doll?”
“That's right. Unfortunately, yes.”
“Unfortunately?”
“He said he had a lover back home.”
“Jealousy?”
“It's strange, isn't it? I'm better in every way, so why does everyone leave me?”
Izeph approached Liz's side and knelt.
He glanced at the dead servants before turning his gaze to Liz and Kael.
Seeing he wasn't surprised by Kael, it was clear he knew about Liz's condition.
“Why aren't you dead?”
Izeph was different from Kael or Duke Phelia.
He was truly just an ordinary head butler working for the Phelia ducal family.
“I have no reason to tell you.”
“Ah, forget it. Don't tell me.”
I waved my hand dismissively in the air.
Loyalty wasn't something that applied only to people.
“I think I get the gist of it.”
Izeph served neither Duke Phelia nor Lady Liz.
He served the name of the Phelia family itself.
As long as the Phelia name was preserved, he would do anything.
A change of master in the process was a trivial matter.
“It's just loyalty in name only.”
“How dare you...”
“Izeph. I've got this. Go after the woman.”
At Liz's command, Izeph suppressed his anger and turned away.
I swung my sword at Izeph's back.
*Clang.*
Kael rushed forward and blocked my sword.
“A sneak attack? That's low.”
“What are you talking about? I'd be an idiot to let him go!”
Kael swung his sword desperately.
To be this skilled even while being controlled, he must have been quite talented, just as Rudie had said. But it wasn't enough to be my opponent.
I deflected the sword that flew toward me in a smooth arc.
A strike from my light-infused sword flew toward the retreating Izeph.
Izeph quickly twisted his body in mid-air.
His severed arm fell to the floor as Izeph chased Lee Eun-hee through the broken window.
I had intended to cut off his leg.
‘I cut off one arm, so it should be fine.’
Even if she wasn't on Yoo Ji-han's level, Lee Eun-hee was still a challenger who had made it to the 11th floor.
She should be able to protect herself.
“You really show no mercy.”
“Isn't that a bit hypocritical coming from you?”
Liz was killing all the servants who came out of their rooms or passed through the hallway.
A pool of blood, similar in color to her dress, spread at her feet.
Liz licked the blood from her hand with the tip of her tongue and smiled.
“It's alright. They'll be with me anyway.”
“I'm sure they will.”
Liz's figure vanished and reappeared before my eyes like an afterimage.
I swung my sword, and Liz's body floated into the air.
When her hand touched the tip of my sword, I felt no weight at all.
It was like fighting a living ghost.
Something like a will-o'-the-wisp flickered above my head.
Threads spun from souls bound my body.
—No, no, no.
—Why? How could you? Are you abandoning me?
—I don't want to die, save me!!
—Aaaaaaah!
—This is a lie, a lie.
Images of people screaming, wailing, and writhing in agony flooded my mind.
The hand holding my sword dropped limply.
*Splash, splash.*
Each time Liz took a step, the pooled blood squelched and stuck to her feet.
These were memories.
The voices of the souls Liz had killed, the ones she possessed.
Among them was Luria, whom I had seen recently.
—W-why are you doing this to me?
—Hic... Please save me, my lady. Kyaaaaah!
Liz stood less than five steps away.
The threads binding my body sharpened and dug into my flesh.
‘Good thing I sent Lee Eun-hee out.’
She's more soft-hearted than she looks.
For an ordinary person, it would be abnormal not to go mad after seeing this.
Liz, who had approached without me noticing, wrapped her arms around me.
Liz's beautiful voice resonated through my head.
“It's okay now.”
“...”
“I'll accept everything. So...”
A faint tremor ran through Liz's fingertips as they touched my lips.
*Smack.*
Startled, Liz pushed my shoulder and stumbled backward.
Supported by Kael, Liz's eyes trembled rapidly.
“You... What in the world are you?”
Liz's gentle voice rose for the first time.
I poured my mana into the Ring of Warding I received from Park Si-woo.
The ring glowed, and a soft light emanated from it.
The soul threads that flew at Liz's gesture vanished.
Despite being the voices of the dead, their source was ultimately Liz's mana.
The Ring of Warding was an item that could use a skill to nullify magical attacks.
The downside was its insane mana consumption.
‘It's much worse than I thought.’
I couldn't maintain this state forever.
Liz staggered to her feet and coughed up blood.
“I saw nothing... nothing at all. Yes, an empty shell. But... what is that thing inside it? How can you possibly be alive?!”
“Whatever you saw, it has nothing to do with you.”
[Stage 4 Protection is activated.]
*Clang.*
Kael's sword and mine clashed.
The speed of our swords increased.
At first, it was just fast enough to leave afterimages, but soon it looked as if dozens of swords were pouring down.
Minor wounds appeared on my body where I failed to block.
Flesh was cut away, but no blood was visible. It felt like cutting a doll.
Ignoring the pain, Kael charged.
I swung my sword wide, sending Kael's flying into the air.
*Thrust.*
The tip of my sword plunged into his chest.
Kael's body, falling forward, shuddered as he exhaled a hot breath.
—I have someone I love.
—Maria... became Marquis Roiren's concubine?
—Oh my, all I did was mention there was a nice girl in the village.
These were the memories of the soul that had accumulated in Kael's crumbling body.
—Ah, uwaaaah!
There was Kael, sobbing in his room as he read a letter.
The letter Kael received contained news of Maria's death.
When I pulled out the sword, Kael's body cracked and crumbled like a statue.
“You did well.”
—Who... in the world are you...
“Does it matter who I am?”
—Thank... you.
“I'll say hello to Rudie for you.”
He probably didn't hear my last words, but it didn't matter.
*Crunch.*
Liz bit her fingernail.
Her long nail snapped with a *click*.
“You pitiful person.”
“Stop, stop it!! Why are you looking at me like that! Why?! Just why?!”
Liz's lips trembled.
I deactivated the anti-magic field from the Ring of Warding.
Using the ring any longer would have completely drained my mana.
“Damn it, damn it!! Don't, don't look at me with those eyes!!”
Liz's mana erupted.
The entire mansion shook from the storm-like wave of mana.
I barely managed to get out of the mansion before the mana exploded.
I brushed the dust off my clothes and stretched.
“Phew, that was a close call. Huh?”
In the middle of the ruined garden stood Izeph, one arm severed.
I turned slightly to look at Lee Eun-hee.
“You still haven't killed him?”
“Sh-shut up! He's stronger than he looks!”
“And it's not because you're weak?”
“Die!!”
I grinned at Lee Eun-hee's malicious words.
“Too bad. I think I'm stronger than you.”
“Gah! You're so annoying! You're the one who told me not to cause an explosion!!”
“It's amazing and impressive that you've been fighting by causing explosions this whole time.”
Seriously.
Is she really an archer?
After deflecting a thrown dagger, I sheathed my sword.
I held out my hand toward Lee Eun-hee.
“What?”
“Give me the bow.”
I practically forced the bow out of Lee Eun-hee's hands.
It was an incredibly fine-looking bow for a challenger on the 11th floor to possess.
“Whoa, wait a minute! Hey! You can't just handle it like that and expect to use it!”
Lee Eun-hee reached out to take back the bow I was holding high.
As I imbued the bow with mana, I felt a burning sensation at my fingertips.
“You're right.”
“Your, your hand! I knew it! This always happens when someone else touches it!”
Lee Eun-hee quickly poured a red, potion-like substance on my hand.
The effect wasn't major, but the pain subsided.
Taking back the bow, Lee Eun-hee took her stance and sighed.
“What a tricky thing.”
“Could you not call my bow a tricky thing?”
I scratched my head at Lee Eun-hee's blunt reply.
I had really just planned to show her a demonstration and step back, but looking at my hand, it seemed the bow wouldn't even allow that.
“Can't be helped. Hold the bow.”
“You, what are you doing now...”
Standing behind Lee Eun-hee, I grabbed her arms.
Flustered, Lee Eun-hee kept glancing back at me.
“You're too close.”
“Who was it that said they hadn't given me their body or their heart?”
“Ugh.”
“Trust me.”
“...”
“I won't ask you to trust me twice. Just this once.”
“Fine.”
Hearing the voice from behind her, Lee Eun-hee nodded.
As the bowstring was drawn, a dark red arrow of light appeared.
I channeled my mana through Lee Eun-hee's arms, which I was holding.
Lee Eun-hee's bow pushed back, as if rejecting my mana.
“Loyalty is a fine trait, but do you really want to see your master live with the reputation of a serial bomber?”
“Who's a serial bomber?! Besides, who are you talking to?”
“You just focus.”
Lee Eun-hee pouted and drew upon her mana.
[That child cannot hear me yet.]
[I know.]
[How dare you speak to me so carelessly?]
[Do you know who I am?]
[...]
[Shut up and cooperate while I'm being nice. Or should I snap this bow in half, melt it in a furnace, and forge it into a sword?]
[No flame can possibly melt me...]
[Have you tried? Should we give it a go?]
[Even if I cooperate, this girl...]
[I'll take care of that.]
I unilaterally cut off the voice.
It wasn't something to say in front of an enemy.
And I was only half-joking about not caring who the bow's master was.
This bow might be too much for Lee Eun-hee's current abilities. But there was no guarantee that would be the case for the future Lee Eun-hee.
Lee Eun-hee's mana and mine mingled, creating an arrow tinged with blue light.
“I'm only showing you once, so watch closely. This is how you shoot a bow.”
“...”
“Now!”
At my signal, Lee Eun-hee drew the bowstring.