Chapter 38
Slave, bite. "Wanna fight?"
How long had it been since she heard those words and started swinging her sword? Iris had long since stopped counting the seconds in her head. It had to be at least five minutes by now. Maybe even ten. She had no idea. She just moved.
Clang! Her sword bounced off. Using the recoil, she twisted her waist. Screeech! Her blade followed up immediately.
'How long has it been?' How long had it been since she'd felt this sensation? Amid the cool, precise movements, Iris locked eyes on one opponent. The one swinging at her from the front.
'Mirai Colton.' One of the Gujae. She knew she was among them too. But there was something off about the girl in front of her.
'A sense of incongruity.' It had bugged her the whole time they'd been crossing blades. The youngest knight squadron member. Granddaughter of Colton Clay, whom she idolized. A girl with countless titles, said to possess divine martial talent comparable to the crown prince. Iris was in that league too, but she'd never cared about such things.
But.
'...I can feel it.' The more they clashed—clang!—the more Mirai's eeriness seeped into her bones.
'...Is this what a genius is?'
Genius. Something bestowed by the heavens. Iris had never once thought her own talent lacking. As a knight, she lacked nothing to reach the pinnacle. All she needed was effort and will. She had arrogance bordering on overconfidence in her abilities.
'What the hell is this?'
It reeked. Something emanated from Mirai's sword. When had she felt this before? It hit her.
'Ruin.' That mage. The black-haired one. The same sensation she'd felt from him was coming from Mirai.
'Same type, huh.' Like an impenetrable wall. It had been fainter from the mage Ruin, but from Mirai, it was stark and vivid. Gritting her teeth as she felt it, Iris wondered.
'What is it?' What was this incongruity? Her thrusts were no slouch. She had the edge in speed and power. Aura difference? No.
'Realm-wise—' she was higher. She recognized the gap. In every aspect, Iris held the advantage.
'Why?' So why couldn't she land a hit?
Whoosh! Her aura-wreathed sword grazed empty air several times. Shwick! It merely brushed past. Her blade never touched Mirai. It was bizarre. Why? It was like Mirai knew exactly where her sword would land beforehand. The calm eyes before her churned Iris's guts.
'...Damn it.' She gritted her teeth.
'If my body was fine—' Would it be different if she weren't injured? Iris thought it, then shook it off.
'Pointless.' That meant nothing. What excuse could justify a broken body in battle? Would it fly in real combat? Ridiculous.
Iris poured on more power.
'Instead of such distractions.' She pushed harder. That was what a knight was.
Thud! Power surged from her legs stomping the ground. Aura erupted across her body.
'One strike.' Mirai narrowed her eyes at it. Again. She seemed to anticipate where Iris's sword would go. It didn't matter. Iris slashed anyway.
Clang! Parried again. But.
Mirai's eyes widened at the impact.
'Got her.' Iris realized. She'd varied the pattern. Added a speed differential to her thrust. Mirai's read was lagging.
She could see it clearly, but.
'The problem's in what she sees.' Iris's instincts told her.
By introducing inconsistencies in speed. Crunch! Mirai's reactions shifted. A spark lit in her eyes. Creating incongruity in the pattern was the key. It worked best when accelerating, then subtly slowing. Not feints, but variations.
Iris gradually adapted to Mirai's movements.
'I can see it.' And glimpses started appearing. The pain from her battered body dulled. Pain faded, heat surged.
'This.' Something. Like a shell cracking. A fissure in the wall. Whatever had blocked her began to soften.
'Ah.'
As Iris edged toward the realm she'd long been unable to reach.
"Haha."
Laughter came from ahead. It shattered her trance.
"This is fun."
That instant. Shwick!
"...!!"
The sword grazed Iris's cheek. A scratch formed.
'What?' Faster. The blade she'd seen clearly until now blurred.
'No way.' Iris furrowed her brow.
'She was going easy on me until now?' Holding back while fighting her?
Realizing it, fury crept onto Iris's face. Her sword's aura intensified. The silver energy rebelled, mirroring her emotions. Her opponent did the same. Mirai smiled. A innocent grin bloomed on the face that had been expressionless throughout the fight.
Chill! Goosebumps prickled Iris's back. An unknowable mix of emotions tainted that lovely smile.
'What?' What was this being? Eerie. Her instincts screamed not to get close. But.
Screech! A knight's conviction allowed no retreat.
'I'll cut it down.' Whatever stood before her, she'd cleave it. That was the way of Northern guardians. Even in barren lands swept by blizzards, they'd cut it down. Her sword had to be that way. She recalled the trail her father, August, had once shown her.
'One Sword.' A silver flash. She saw it. What to cut before Mirai. Iris swung.
Then light emanated from Mirai's body. Intensely vivid light. It shook the path Iris had seen. Unexpected. But she didn't falter. She just cut. Focused on that one emotion. Just before their swords met.
Fwoosh.
"...!"
"...?"
A small spark burst before their eyes. Mirai and Iris spotted it simultaneously.
Then.
Crack!
"Ugh!?"
"Huh?"
Flame rings wrapped their slender ankles. Black flames. What was this? No time for questions.
Roooar! The rings expanded instantly, engulfing their bodies.
"Kuh...!"
"Ugh?"
Movement sealed. Subdued. They couldn't budge. Iris panicked and unleashed her full power. She strained to escape, but it held.
What the hell? Magic. A restraint spell? Before the shock in her eyes faded.
"Ah, don't move. This is hard to maintain."
A familiar voice. Mirai and Iris turned together. The owner approached with an utterly bored expression. Black hair, pale green eyes. Two lines of flame on his fingers proved his guilt. Iris tried to speak upon seeing the boy.
"Ru..."
"Ruin!"
Mirai beamed. Iris's face hardened. Utterly different from the expression she'd worn while fighting her. Her eyes on Ruin brimmed with interest and curiosity. As if indifferent to it all, Ruin eyed them.
"...Why are you two fighting?"
His voice dripped with genuine bafflement.
I seriously don't get it. Why the fuck are those two fighting?
Crunch! And it was no joke—they were going at it for real. Way too brutal for a spat between teenage girls not even adults yet. "Catfight" didn't even cover it. That term was for shit you could resolve with cute words. These crazy bitches.
'Fucking lunatics.' Is that what knights are? Are they even human? What kind of humans are those weapons?
'Scary as shit.' Does every fantasy world have psychos like this? Terrifying. I gotta lay low.
As I steeled myself.
Anyway.
'What to do about that?' How to handle it. I pondered deeply. Then glanced at the blond sun beside me. The emperor, watching the girls' brawl stone-faced.
'Tch.' I recalled our recent chat. A bet. The emperor had bet with me.
-Stop that fight. Halt Mirai and Iris's duel.
And.
-You get one chance.
One shot to stop it. What kind of bet was this?
-Refuse, and it's execution.
Refuse and die? Execution wasn't some dog's name. Absurd. This guy didn't used to be like this. Time had turned him into a weirdo. Tyrant, fuck. My fave turned into a tyrant character?
-But succeed, and I'll give you something good, son of Elise.
I didn't know what "good" meant, but there was a reward. Not sure if it mattered.
'Hmm.' I watched the fight. How to stop it? Just blast a spell? Thorn Arrow or Blade Edge. Or wind magic to block.
'Hitting those speedy fucks.' Or catch a gap and restrain them. Insanely hard. They showed no fatigue, speed unchanged.
'Hmm.' Tricky. I focused, watched intently.
Then.
'What's that?' Something odd. With Mirai. I spotted her anomaly. I got that she anticipated Iris's trajectories. But.
'What's with that?' What had bugged me: her shoulder glowing weirdly. The more it sparkled, the itchier my heart felt. I fixated on it.
Watching, shimmer.
'What's that now?' Change in Iris. Her previously ragged aura tidied up.
'What? She got stronger?' What change in that short time? Iris was definitely different, and the fight shifted.
Boom!Crunch! Mirai pushed back. She'd been reacting to paths before.
'She missed.' Pattern shift, and Mirai started slipping. Iris's aura strengthened mid-fight. Growing during battle?
'What the...' Not a novel protag. Ridiculous.
As I watched the freakshow.
"Ha!"
Mirai chuckled lightly. Whoosh!
'What's that?' Her shoulder blazed insanely. Vrrr! My waist vibrator too. As her light intensified, it vibrated wildly. And.
Shimmer. Unknown energy leaked from it. Stretching toward Mirai's shoulder.
'Whoa.' Why's it homing in? Weird? Vrrr! Vrrrr! It shook harder. Like.
'Don't let it go?' Screaming not to send the energy there. Desperately.
'What the fuck.' Why's this thing always tripping balls? No clue, but.
'For now.' Better listen. It's my vibrator, after all.
'Gap.' I eyed the opening. They clashed, lights swelling huge. Then.
'That—.' The horizon where auras met. I reached out. Spell decided.
'Flame Ring, right?' For restraint, perfect. I marked their positions. Recalled the mana form from our long-faced slave bitch earlier.
Whirr. Spun the circle, deployed. Crack! Snagged their ankles. And.
'This might work better?' Grew flames from the rings. Vine-like, they entwined their bodies.
"...What? What's that?"
Helena's reaction from behind.
"How'd he even...?"
Just a test, but solid. Problem.
'Ugh, fuck.' Mana draining like crazy. From binding them? Or their resistance? Can't hold long. Felt it, stepped out.
"Don't move. This is hard to maintain."
Gazes poured in. Hope I don't get chewed out for stopping the fight.
"Ruin!"
'Casual again.' Mirai Colton reacted. Iris looked pissed. Scary stare.
'Gotta dodge her for a bit.' Okay. Nodded.
"...Why are you two fighting?"
Said it, caught my breath. Mana nearly gone.
"Keep going and you'll get hurt. Lady Iris, you're not well. Stop."
"..."
At "not well," Iris froze. I released there. Fwoosh. Rings vanished.
"...Ruin. You..."
"Ah, don't get mad. He told me to."
"What...?"
Her eyes narrowed at "don't get mad." Oh shit. Gonna blow? Wanted to blame the emperor, but.
'That'd make it worse.' Felt like more trouble. Bit my lip.
"Anyway. I said stop. Lots of eyes, especially."
Eyed Iris's abdomen.
"It hurts."
"..."
Iris subtly clutched her belly.
"I'm fine."
Mirai cut in.
"I adjusted so it wouldn't hurt. Last one wasn't full power."
"...Adjusted?"
Iris's eyes widened.
"You knew...?"
"Yeah. Was gonna adjust, but..."
Mirai smiled lightly. Looked pretty damn cute. Kid or not.
"It was fun, so I kept going. You're fun. What's your name?"
"What's with the 'yo'? A shtick?"
"Ah, what?"
She switched at my point.
"...Iris. Iris Hailron."
"Right. That was it."
Shink. Mirai sheathed her sword.
"...Now I remember."
Satisfied tone. Why so pleased? Fight junkie?
'Pervert?' Some kids like that. M or S? Whatever. Not important now. (FWIW, I'm S.)
"Ruin."
Mirai called.
"Yes."
"Why formal?"
Odd, she asked.
"...Told you before. There's a wall we can't cross."
This class society's like that. No titles, I'd curse you out already, got it?
"...You can casual. We're friends."
"Not all same-agers are friends."
"Not friends?"
"Rapport not formed yet, probably?"
"...Ra...port...?"
"...Never mind. There is such a thing."
Gave up explaining.
"Be friends. I'll be good to you..."
She demanded. Friends what? How "good"?
"How good?"
A bit intrigued, asked.
She pondered seconds.
"...Hug?"
Arms out. That was her best? Interest gone.
"...Not into lolis."
Same age, but thirteen-year-old body? No appeal. Sadly, neither slender nor loli fan. Useless saintess or slave bitch, maybe Iris—drool instantly. This one? Off-limits. For now.
"Loli?"
"Not my type for hugs. Pass."
"...Daddy liked it."
"Yeah? No dad, so dunno."
"..."
Daddy card, bitch? I'm dadless, won't work. Waved hand.
"Anyway. Hope you find good friends..."
"Insolent cur."
"Huh?"
Voice from nowhere. Looked.
"Lady Mirai Colton speaks, and that's your attitude?"
Irritated tone. Early twenties guy. Brown hair, shitty skin. Kid skipped skincare. Shoulda during puberty...
"What's that look?"
"Who're you?"
Who butts in? I got emperor excuse, you?
'Doesn't know.' Tower Lord, Duke Colton, emperor there. Gonna fuck up.
Asked worriedly.
"I'm knight Poll Hollen."
Introduced.
"Got it, Hollen."
"Not 'Hollen,' 'Sir.' Can't even manners? Shows your level."
"Hmm..."
What is this... Rare encounter. Scratching cheek.
"Daring to block sacred knights' duel. Insulting Lady Mirai... Know your place."
"What was it? Ah, right. Hollen, know who I am?"
"Why should I? Low mage from a tower, probably. New face, underling. Don't butt in."
"..."
Got it. Deluded fuck.
'Play nice.' Avoid hassle. Curses internal. Tried smooth.
"Why butt in, tiny-dick-looking fuck?"
Thanks. Hollen. Careful next time.
"...What?"
"Ah."
Said inner thought aloud. Mistake.