Chapter 117
Chapter 117
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Villainess
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Villainess.
Before the duel could take place,
I ended up meeting Lucia's parents.
-Please don't think of them as people, no matter what.
Before meeting them, Lucia said this to me in a firm tone.
As if they weren't her real parents.
That's what she told me.
-From the start, when I left, they didn't offer any support. In fact, they were happy about it. I was such a fool... I leveled up to level 5 because I wanted their recognition, because I wanted to return to the family and take back the family name.
And the price for that was the engagement.
The engagement to Rakter.
The root cause of this whole incident.
But it was only natural that her parents would come upon hearing of the broken engagement.
I don't know what Lucia felt back then, but now it seems she doesn't care much for it.
So even if I messed things up like this, it wouldn't matter.
That was the mindset I had when I challenged Rakter to this duel.
'Honestly, I'm not sure if oaths don't count but duels do.'
Is it some kind of sacred ritual?
I'm no medieval native, so I wouldn't know.
Anyway.
For those reasons, I met Lucia's parents.
'The head of the Philhart House.'
A man and woman who appeared to be in their mid-50s.
The power emanating from them was faintly weak. About on par with a level 2 adventurer, maybe.
-Nobles in power don't need to raise their levels.
The holy sword spoke in a mocking tone.
"Pleased to meet you. I am the head of the Philhart House."
He bowed with refined elegance.
Not treating me like some mere adventurer.
I got the impression he saw me as an equal.
-Is he trying to humiliate you with etiquette?
'They do that too?'
-Most adventurers would stammer if hit with a greeting like this.
The holy sword said.
It's just a simple motion, and they can't handle it?
"I am Han Yuseong, master of the Starlight Spiral Clan."
I mirrored the head of the Philhart House's greeting exactly.
His eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.
A strange expression, displeased yet somewhat satisfied.
"To master the old empire's etiquette so flawlessly... impressive."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Hey, were you a noble of the old empire? 'What's that?' -...? No way, you didn't...? 'I just copied the motion.' -For just copying... The holy sword was about to say something, but I turned to the Philhart head.
I didn't want preconceptions, but he was greedy-looking, fat.
Height around 160 cm, and his weight seemed about the same.
I recalled the info Ermé had passed on.
In case the Philhart head came here, it was to choose a way to separate him from Lucia.
One who abandons family fears nothing.
One who discards blood ties can blindly discard anything else for one goal.
"I've been very interested. But my knowledge is limited, so please get to the point."
"......"
The Philhart head looked at me.
With eyes that seemed to appraise me.
"What do you think of our Lucia?"
"Beautiful and intelligent. I see her as a reliable clan member."
"Hm......"
The Philhart head stared into me with piercing eyes.
Unpleasantly so.
"My apologies for the rudeness. I underestimated your impressive strength."
"...?"
A sudden shift in topic.
But the Philhart head smiled warmly and said,
"If you wish it, we'll break off the engagement."
"What's the condition?"
"No conditions. Just take good care of our Lucia."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Sinister, very sinister. The moment he realized you're better than that scum Rakter, this attitude. 'What can you do.' They were the ones who abandoned Lucia to begin with.
Even wanting to see them without bias, bias forms anyway.
I looked at them, then turned away.
Up on the arena.
The Shadow King was looking at me, beckoning me down.
'...Time to head down.'
Rakter and a level 5 adventurer.
I had to duel those two.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Rakter gazed at the arena with dark eyes.
A fight started to claim the love he desired.
But the path hadn't been smooth.
-You're going to ruin the family over one woman?!
-You madman...
Parents who didn't understand him.
And his sibling.
It was understandable.
A noble house enjoyed many privileges,
but came with responsibilities. A sense of duty.
Something to protect even at the cost of life.
That was the obligation, chain, and benefit of being born noble.
He had enjoyed those benefits well.
For a commoner, he had slightly better talent.
Above average,
barely genius level.
With that modest talent, they made him reach level 5.
The benefits were truly immense.
'...Like being manipulated.'
No, that's not it.
Rakter shook his head. His briefly sharp eyes dulled again to darkness.
He focused on one man.
Han Yuseong.
The most talked-about man in the Cradle.
He spoke briefly with his master Volkan, then looked his way.
Glowing eyes.
Purple irises stared straight at him.
He watched for a moment, then calmly descended to the arena.
"His movements aren't ordinary."
"That's level 5? Looks like level 7 at least..."
He landed lightly.
His movements were extraordinary. The reason many in the Cradle whispered.
Han Yuseong gazed steadily at him.
Eyes pondering what to do.
Emotionless eyes on him and the proxy knight.
The proxy knight trembled under that gaze, looking to Rakter.
"...This doesn't add up financially."
"One more platinum coin."
"Ugh... fine. Let's do it."
He stretched casually.
A money-grubbing adventurer didn't sit well.
Labyrinth adventurers and knights were worlds apart.
'But there are two of us.'
Rakter took a deep breath, staring at Han Yuseong.
That relaxed attitude irked him.
The leisure of thinking he and two adventurers could win anytime.
"I request your support."
"Got it."
They stayed tense, looking to the referee. The Shadow King nodded quietly.
"The match begins. It stops when one side loses the will to fight or is deemed defeated."
As the Shadow King's words ended,
the adventurer dashed out fast.
Rakter matched with blinding speed.
'Impatient.'
Rakter activated magic immediately. Haste, strength enhancement.
Thought acceleration, motion correction.
Five spells enveloped the adventurer in an instant.
And then.
Craaaack!!
Blue and purple clashed. The adventurer swordsman Jason, wrapped in elongated blue, grinned through sword strikes.
'More than I thought...'
The name shaking the Cradle.
And heir to Sword King Volkan.
Those two names made him hesitate on the commission,
but
'He's manageable?'
Of course, the assisting mage was excellent too.
A noble mage, younger but on par positionally.
Jason swung his blade.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Stormblade Gift activated, Stormblade.
Wind swirled around his sword instantly.
His ultimate technique: compress sword ki in a flash,
release it in a burst.
"Sorry, young master. It's a commission. Don't hate me too much."
Jason swung Stormblade as he spoke.
"......I had some expectations, but there's really nothing to gain."
Han Yuseong sighed.
Then casually deflected the sword with his hand at an angle.
"Nothing worth watching."
A voice laced with a sigh.
Yet his hand moved.
The swordsmanship wasn't fully familiar yet, a bit tricky,
but
'Doesn't matter.'
Han Yuseong's sword moved.
A metallic shing─ rang out simultaneously.
And what appeared was
'Plum blossoms...?'
Purple plum blossoms.
Deep black-wreathed purple plum blossoms bloomed.
"You said don't hate you earlier? Don't hate me either."
Bragging about an ultimate technique irked him. The look of assured victory irked him.
He'd planned to humor them a bit,
but
'Nothing to learn.'
Storm-like sword ki.
Sharply wind-keen ki gathered and unleashed.
Powerful in bursts; before Shadow King, maybe intriguing,
but
'Better to use Sword Cloud.'
No merit for current Han Yuseong.
Ways to take the adventurer flashed in his mind.
Sword Cloud, hero's orthodox swordsmanship.
Stepping into his guard wasn't bad,
but
'More than that.'
Shing.
A strange sound echoed.
Purple plum petals engulfed in flames.
This stage was to announce him as Volkan's formal disciple.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -...You already mastered it? 'Why not learn what's taught right in front?' Han Yuseong answered the holy sword while using old man Volkan's swordsmanship exactly.
⟨ Plum Blossom Flame Dance ⟩ Plum Blossom Flame Dance.
Petals swirled,
burning Jason's body clean.
'Just enough not to take his life.'
With that done,
Han Yuseong turned to Rakter.
Rakter staring gloomily.
'What to do with him.'
To Han Yuseong, Rakter was just a man blinded by a woman.
He'd even welcomed breaking off with Lucia, told him to leave Chloe.
That kind of guy.
Just someone who liked Chloe.
His excessive jealousy was annoying, but Han Yuseong sighed inwardly and reined in his killing intent.
'Not without issues.'
Later, the events he'd cause were extremely dangerous.
His friend had told him, so it must be true.
'Spare the adventurer,'
but not this one.
Han Yuseong steeled himself,
about to slip the Eternal Soldier's soulstone into his bosom with Steal Strike.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [The target is the Eternal Soldier.] '...?'
Han Yuseong looked at Rakter.
His eyes turning bluer by the second. Somehow, before Han Yuseong used Steal Strike, he already possessed the Eternal Soldier's soul.
'Steal Strike.'
Thief's Extremity fused Steal Strike swept over Rakter's body.
What came out was
'The Eternal Soldier's soul, as expected.'
Then he had to take it.
But Thief's Extremity sensed something off.
It detected something else dormant in Rakter's body.
Comparable to the Eternal Soldier's soul.
No, something greater.
Instinctively, he reached for that too beyond the Eternal Soldier's soul,
and
'......'
I looked at one of the gems in my hand.
The deep blue Eternal Soldier's soul.
And
A diamond-like gem, pure white.
And inscribed on it:
⚠️ CRITICAL ALERT ⚠️ [Eroded by the World───]
I'd stolen something extremely suspicious.