Chapter 401
Chapter 401
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 401
>Chapter Title: Just a Little More Confident
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Slow death arrives with its stench.
The fishy tang of blood, the rot of festering flesh, the inexplicable foulness carried on ragged breaths.
“…….”
Aster stared blankly ahead, the scent of death lingering at the tip of his nose.
At the end of his gaze hung a single woman.
Shine von Leman.
Leech.
“What the…….”
Aster started to speak but clamped his mouth shut. His chest tightened as if someone had seized his heart.
He shuffled forward in a daze until he reached her, then dropped to his knees and caressed her face.
It was cold.
The sensation through her tangled hair was death itself.
“Leech.”
His cracked voice shattered the silence, spreading through the air. The space, filled only with faint breaths, stirred with life.
But.
“…….”
Shine didn’t respond. Her eyes remained shut, her body bound tight with chains like a beast, heaving labored gasps.
How many layers of spells were devouring her flesh? How many poisons were gnawing at her life?
How, how, how……
“……You’ve come?”
At the faint voice, Aster looked down at Shine. Beneath half-lidded eyes gleamed crimson irises. He met her gaze, lips twitching, then nodded.
“Yes, this isn’t…… a dream.”
“…….”
Aster didn’t reply. No, he couldn’t. He didn’t trust what words might spill if he opened his mouth now.
But Shine smiled faintly regardless, a weak curve touching her lips.
“Why the long face.”
What’s with my face?
“You look ready to kill from sheer rage.”
Don’t bullshit me.
Why would I be angry?
“It’s nothing. This spell…… the poison…… it’s all because this body of mine is too exceptional. Even the steppe warriors aren’t what they used to be. More than that…… ngh, care to lend a hand?”
Without a word, Aster supported Shine as she tried to rise. Clank—the grotesque rattle of chains echoed through the space.
Moments later, Shine finally sat upright, gasping for breath. Aster watched her silently.
What should he say?
He’d never learned. He had no idea.
In the end, the one phrase he settled on was this.
“Idiot…….”
“Knew you’d say that. Even I think it’s pretty damn ridiculous.”
The current situation was beyond even Shine’s expectations.
To think they’d cast spells on Amar’s sacred challenger? Use poison?
Two hundred years ago, it would’ve been unthinkable. If the old comrades who’d raced across the great plains with her saw this, they’d spit blood.
But.
……What excuse to make?
She’d been the naive one.
‘People change with time, after all.’
Over two hundred years ago, after her family fell.
The great plains, swept by the tide of a single drawn blade, had been a land of warriors.
Everyone she met was a warrior, and every sorcerer praised their pride.
Yet, to think it’d come to this.
She held no attachment, but she respected them. That was why Shine had come to the great plains. She’d expected warriors to give her the fight she craved.
But.
To end up like this.
Even she had to chuckle at the absurdity. But what was even funnier than her plight was the face of the bastard sitting before her.
“What’s got you so pissed off?”
“I’m not pissed.”
“Like hell. Your eyes are brimming with killing intent.”
Truth be told, there was no killing intent to see. He was the type who never showed his emotions to begin with. When furious, he’d vent his rage; when sad, he’d show his sorrow. But when truly angry or heartbroken, he bottled it all up tight.
Which was exactly why……
“You’re easy to read.”
Shine smiled faintly as she gazed at Aster’s face. Eyes clear as glass, an expression utterly devoid of emotion—this blank slate spoke volumes of the man’s inner thoughts.
So Shine had to say it.
“No need to be angry.”
Life and death were inevitable flows. Even she, who’d dodged death twice before, knew that.
Of course, she was glad.
Her death in her previous life had been lonely.
Eyes closing in desolate solitude, not a soul to shed a tear. Even her corpse had fallen into wicked hands, defiled afterward.
But now?
Shine looked at Aster and felt gratitude for life. He’d made things dirty, sworn never to meet again, but still, his presence brought a strange joy.
But.
“Really, no need for anger. You think this body will close its eyes so easily?”
……I won’t die.
You came, didn’t you?
She held back the rest. If she let it slip in this mood, that sly bastard would tease her about it forever.
Aster, silent until then, finally spoke.
“……What should I do?”
“Hm?”
“Anything.”
If she asked him to slaughter everyone who poisoned her, he would. If she demanded the spellcasters brought before her, he’d deliver.
Even if it meant facing every warrior in Oukan.
Shine felt a thrill at his resolve and answered.
“Oukan.”
“…….”
“Him alone will do. I want to plunge a blade into his heart myself. Think you can manage that?”
That was Shine’s wish.
Days ago, after the last chain-challenger, Oukan had sent his grand sorcerers and poison masters.
‘Amar’ meant nothing anymore.
So she’d have to strike Oukan down herself.
“That it?”
“That’ll do.”
At Shine’s words, Aster closed his eyes slowly.
He’d stepped forward originally to prevent a clash with Oukan. Granting her wish wouldn’t be easy.
But.
“……Fine.”
Aster nodded in the end.
“Can you dispel the spells?”
“…….”
Instead of answering, Aster acted. Mana gathered in his grip, and the dozens of spells enveloping Shine shattered like thin ice, crumbling away. The fragments dissolved into intangible wisps and scattered.
No spell could withstand a grand wizard’s mana. The same went for the poisons cloaking her.
Tsss—
Aster treated Shine’s poisons and wounds with Light of Healing, then gripped the chains in both hands.
Crack, snap—!
They resisted fiercely, infused with powerful spells, but it wasn’t difficult.
Soon, the chains shattered pointlessly.
“……Good.”
Shine flexed her lightened body this way and that, smiling. But one thing remained.
The seal.
The restraint she’d placed on herself to rely solely on pure flesh.
“…….”
Shine closed her eyes and released her self-imposed seal. Vast energy erupted from deep within her heart.
But.
“Still not enough.”
Shine eyed Aster with glowing crimson eyes. Long starved of blood, her body’s energy was depleted.
Only one way to fix it.
Bloodsucking.
“Mind if I take your blood?”
“…….”
Instead of replying, Aster rolled up his sleeve. Shine brought her lips to his unscarred, smooth skin.
Then.
Crunch—
Sharp fangs pierced flesh. Her mouth filled with sweet, fragrant blood. Though a vampire, this was her first human blood.
She’d always sated her hunger with monsters and beasts.
……Shine didn’t know.
That it would fuse her mismatched body and soul into one.
“Haa…….”
After indulging for a long while, Shine exhaled dreamily and wiped her mouth. Instinctively, she realized.
Her body and soul, long at odds, had merged.
“Your blood…… it’s so sweet.”
“What…….”
Aster shuddered at Shine’s eerie gaze. But only for a moment. He quickly noticed the change in her and frowned.
“Did it work?”
“It did.”
A satisfied smile spread across her lips. Shine clenched and unclenched her fist, her eyes gleaming languidly.
Now, preparations were complete.
All that remained……
……Oukan.
Just teach pride to the warrior who’d abandoned it.
Zing—!
As Shine reached out, a sword buried in the tent’s corner vibrated. Wrapped in cloth like a humble iron blade, it rose on its own and flew into her grasp.
Shine gripped it and smiled.
Fused body and mind.
And……
“Finally, you recognize me as your true master.”
The demon sword, Proteus.
She half-drew it, gazing at the pure white blade, then turned to Aster and nodded.
“Let’s go.”
Shine rose and strode out of the tent, sword dangling at her side. Aster watched, his eyes twitching.
In the wake of vanished anger.
The emotion that filled the void……
Shock and fear.
“What’re you doing? Coming or not?”
At Shine’s urging, Aster grinned wide and hurried after her.
“Hehe, what’ll we do now?”
“……What’s with the speech?”
“Speech matter? It’s the heart that counts.”
“Whatever…….”
Shine gave Aster a look like he was being ridiculous, then chuckled. The hierarchy sorted in an instant pleased her greatly.
“Oh, right, got an ally lined up?”
“Ally?”
“Yeah, meet ’em and you’ll be thrilled. Got some discussions to hash out too.”
“Fine, let’s go see.”
“Hehe.”
Aster rubbed his hands together, grinning in satisfaction.
Some warriors approached to block them, but none drew near. Overwhelmed by the indescribable pressure enveloping the area.
And so.
Shine strode ahead, Aster followed.
Right in the heart of Oukan’s camp, yet utterly undaunted—striding with majestic confidence.
There’s an old saying.
A goblin borrows an ogre’s might to strut.
In this moment, Aster was the goblin, Shine the sturdy ogre.
Aster thought.
‘I’ve always been confident.’
……Just a little more now.
* * *
The red-haired challenger. Word that Shine was prowling the camp soon reached Oukan’s ears.
In the midst of plotting to scout and eliminate Aster’s owl, Oukan sighed at his pounding head.
“So, where’s the challenger headed?”
“Well…….”
With so much to handle already, the warrior’s trailing words irked him. But Oukan held his patience, waiting for the report to continue.
When it did, his eyes darkened.
“Toward Pushk’s driman quarters, they say. With some mystery intruder in tow.”
“Reason?”
“……No idea.”
No reason……
Oukan gathered his thoughts.
The Amar challenger suddenly up and about, hale and hearty. A mystery intruder moving with her.
And…… Pushk’s driman to boot.
He couldn’t grasp the connections.
Couldn’t grasp them, but……
“……Better this way.”
“Pardon?”
“No, nothing. Pushk’s the priority for now. Notify all warriors at once.”
“What…….”
Oukan tapped the armrest, then spoke.
“‘Pushk has colluded with the continent. As of now…….’”
- Pushk is declared an enemy of the great plains.
With that, Oukan rose from his throne and approached the rack. He seized the great blade.
……The wind howled.
A blood-soaked gale.