Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: The Provocative Spearwoman
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Arriving in Larmen, I collected the promised reward and parted ways with the merchant caravan.
The amount set as my compensation was 1,000 rilangs. In our currency, that’s probably around 100,000 won, give or take.
On top of that, I received an extra 4,000 rilangs for the mercenaries who had fled during the bandit attack, bringing my total to 5,000 rilangs.
After pocketing the reward, I headed to an inn in the city and booked a room under the name Wade.
It was to wait for Gaspar to find me.
Afterward, I began inquiring around about the blue-haired female spearwoman who had appeared in Larmen.
The results came quickly. When I asked a man who seemed to live here, he replied.
“Ah, that woman? Well, I think she left a few days ago to scout the surroundings.”
“I see….”
Was the timing just bad?
“Could you tell me everything you know about her?”
I handed him 100 rilangs and asked. The man, as if he’d struck gold, spilled everything he knew.
The information I got was exactly what I wanted.
The female spearwoman was from out of town. She had an attendant. And she was stunningly beautiful.
That matched Eonia so far.
It even made sense if her attendant was Bisceta.
But there was some unnatural information too.
“She said the Savior Alliance is full of weaklings and challenged anyone stronger than her to step up. Said she’d take on as many as came.”
“She really said that?”
“Yeah.”
“…”
That didn’t sound like Eonia. Of course, Eo didn’t shy away from fights that came her way and could be provoked easily, but she never boasted about her martial prowess.
Plus, the way she spoke as if she knew all about the Savior Alliance bothered me.
“By the way, you’re from Larmen, right?”
“Ah, yes. How did you know?”
“I heard a caravan from Larmen was coming today. But your face is new. Heh, you some noble’s son? The girls keep glancing over here.”
“Haha….”
“Anyway, if you’ve got business with that woman, why not wait a bit longer? This place has good transportation networks. She might come back. That’s why others gunning for her are waiting here too.”
“Others gunning for her? You mean there are more like me?”
“Yep. After she spouted off like that. This is Savior Alliance territory. Tons of guys want to make a name for themselves. If someone shows up badmouthing the Savior Alliance and stirring trouble, they’ll naturally want to punish her.”
“I see.”
I had to wait for Gaspar anyway, so I planned to stay a few days.
I hoped she’d show up in the meantime.
They say even a tiger comes if you mention it.
Around lunchtime that same day, the area grew noisy.
The people in the restaurant started clamoring.
“That woman’s back!”
“Hah, walked right into her grave!”
“Let’s go watch!”
The citizens, starved for entertainment, all rushed toward the square where she’d appeared.
I left my half-eaten lunch and joined the crowd.
‘Eonia….’
My feelings for her were as strong as they were for Ymir. I’d arrived in this world on the very day I was supposed to meet her, and she’d always seemed more vulnerable than my other retainers, so I worried.
For instance, I worried less about Gaspar or Master Iliya. I trusted they could handle themselves alone and wouldn’t easily fall for tricks or threats.
But Eo was different in that regard.
So I wanted to reunite with her as soon as possible.
But had my luck run out after finding Gaspar?
The woman standing boldly in the square wasn’t Eonia.
They shared the beauty, but their looks and demeanor were different.
“Hmph, so many spectators…”
A long-haired blue-haired woman whose locks reached her waist.
She began tying her hair back as if preparing for battle. The men watched, mesmerized by the motion.
She looked just past twenty.
‘Sigh, wasted trip.’
I let out a sigh.
Still, since I was here, I figured I’d watch her skills.
The woman stabbed her spear shaft into the ground with a thunk! and announced to the surroundings.
“Anyone confident in their skills, step up! I, Lucrezia Akasha, will face you!”
Revealing her name for the first time, the crowd buzzed.
“Akasha? That famous noble house from the Elan Kingdom? The one with Robarin Akasha as head…?”
“Robarin Akasha? The guy who cleared the vicious dungeon Parella?”
Her family name carried weight, so the few men who’d been about to charge hesitated and backed off.
‘Sheesh, everywhere you go, family name means everything.’
Well, if Juras’s son suddenly came at me, I might chicken out too.
From what I gathered, this Robarin Akasha had a similar reputation.
“Mind if I step in?”
A middle-aged man strode forward boldly.
He glared at the woman with a stern expression.
“I get that you’re someone impressive, but why is a person like you insulting the Savior Alliance?”
“I didn’t insult them. I just said that’s all the skill the Savior Alliance has.”
“Haha… I don’t know why you harbor hostility toward the Savior Alliance, but…”
“…You don’t know? That’s shameless. Have you forgotten what you did five years ago?”
Something from five years ago.
The citizens looked baffled at her words.
The middle-aged man grimaced and shot back.
“That matter was settled back then. Don’t you know bringing it up violates the treaty?”
“The treaty had a clause for that. To explain the full details to every member of the Savior Alliance! But looking around here, not a single person knows about it!”
“Shut your mouth!”
Out of retorts, the man bellowed and drew his weapon.
*
*
*
Tension filled the square.
“If you’re that itchy for a fight, I, Priden Holson, will oblige!”
“Hmph, just what I wanted.”
Priden pushed straight into a duel, as if telling her not to say more.
The woman seemed uninterested in dragging out the five-year-old issue just to cause a scene, so she accepted.
They took their stances.
Both held weapons. The man wielded a rapier unfit for his burly build. The woman, a spear.
They focused their auras, drawing them up.
“Ooh! Weapon spell!”
“A fight between weapon spell users. This’ll be good!”
It deflated me a bit.
The crowd was excited, but their auras looked weak to me.
About Ruan Chase’s level, at best. Weaker than Aegert.
They used auxiliary spells on top of auras, making their movements far faster than their aura levels suggested.
‘I see. So vanguard warriors fight like this.’
Aura as the base, magic as support. True mages went all-in on magic for powerful attack spells.
The latter required magical talent, so few became great mages.
Among combatants, true mages were one in five.
Clang! Clank! Spear versus rapier favored distance for the woman.
Rapier’s strength is thrusting, but no weapon can match a spear there.
“Urk!”
The man backpedaled frantically.
Finally, he lunged boldly for a decisive blow, but her swift three strikes repelled him, and he dropped his rapier.
“I-I admit defeat!”
Priden conceded.
Cheers erupted in the square.
“Wooo!”
“Priden of the Golden Lion Alliance lost!”
The other would-be challengers tucked tail after Priden’s defeat.
“Amazing spearwork!”
“Godlike realm! Incredible!”
Amid the crowd’s lavish praise, Lucrezia calmly stowed her spear with a matter-of-fact expression.
I couldn’t hold back a sneer.
“This is godlike spearwork? Ha…! Even a stray dog would laugh.”
It was a mutter to myself, but it stood out amid the praise.
Lucrezia narrowed her eyes and turned to me.
“What did you say?”
“Ah….”
I realized my slip, but I’m not one to deny it.
Of course, I’d apologize for the rudeness but hammer the facts.
“Sorry if it offended. It’s just ridiculous calling that godlike or whatever.”
“Ridiculous…? My spearwork?”
“No, it’s not bad. You’ve just barely formed the basics. Good enough to teach soldiers, maybe. If I had to pick between good or bad, it’s good.”
My highest possible assessment.
She clearly didn’t like it.
“Who are you to judge from on high?”
“I said sorry if it upset you. But it’s definitely not godlike. You don’t think your spearwork is godlike either, right? I didn’t say it to fight you, so don’t mind me.”
By now, all eyes were on me.
Feeling the pressure, I thought of leaving, but someone shouted.
“Y-Yeah! If that guy steps up, you wouldn’t stand a chance! Don’t underestimate the Savior Alliance!”
“Right!”
They were mercenaries from the caravan I’d guarded.
They hyped me up, saying I’d dispatched the bandits in seconds with ghostly skill.
Hearing that, interest sparked in the woman’s eyes.
“Interesting. Draw your weapon! I’ll face you!”
“Sorry, but I don’t have one on me.”
I only had a dagger for self-defense. No real threats in this world meant I didn’t carry weapons.
I’d armed up yesterday thinking of bandits, but not today.
“I said sorry if it bothered you. Let’s just pretend I didn’t say it.”
I turned to leave, but then—
“Kehat, if it’s a weapon, here you go, Als.”
“…!”
A spear and sword flew toward me. The ones I’d left in my room.
Someone had tossed them to me.
Only one person could enter my room.
“Gaspar…!”
Gaspar wore a hood hiding his face, but his coarse body hair betrayed his beastman traits.
He grinned and said.
“Went to your room, but you weren’t there. Leaving your weapons behind to wander? What’s up?”
“Sigh… You too.”
He’d probably brought them worrying about me.
Lucrezia frowned at Gaspar’s appearance.
“A beastman…?”
Beastmen existed here too. Unlike our continent, they faced no discrimination.
Purebloods like him were rare, though.
Gaspar eyed her, snorted, and told me.
“What’s this, a small fry? Als, finish quick and let’s talk about the rest.”
“Small fry…? How dare you…”
“Calling a small fry a small fry. That bother you?”
“…!?”
Gaspar unleashed a sudden burst of bloodlust. Lucrezia flinched, dropping into a combat stance, sweat beading on her face.
Gaspar said.
“I could take you if you want, but unlike Als, I’m no pushover. Once the duel starts, I’ll kill you in one go. Heck, warning you first means I’m getting soft.”
“D-Do it if you can!”
“Kuhahaha! Naive girl climbing too high. Fine. I’ll humor you!”
I had to step in quickly.
“Calm down.”
Gaspar might actually kill her. Better I wrap it up than cause a scene.
“Sigh… Fine. I’ll face you.”
Swish! Swish! I spun the spear lightly and beckoned her.
“Come at me. I’ll teach you a lesson.”
Lucrezia’s face twisted.
She took her stance and charged without hesitation.