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127
Under the sky gradually turning red as the sunset approached, two people were walking along a forest path on the outskirts of the village. These individuals, looking suspicious with their robes pulled up to cover their heads, were glancing around as if searching for someone.
“How long are you going to keep running away?”
“No, I’m not running away…”
Short whispered conversations occasionally passed between them. Blunt questioning was followed by excuses tinged with embarrassment. Perhaps due to fiddling with the robe while desperately trying to change the subject, the robe carefully covering the face was blown off by a passing wind.
Brilliant blonde hair rippled in the breeze.
“Nothing will change by avoiding it.”
“…Sia, your words are sharp. My heart hurts.”
“I see.”
Casually fixing her hair and trying to avoid eye contact, all efforts went to waste. Casia, who had been observing Leriana’s every move, persisted with the same topic without backing down. Even grumbling was of no use.
At the lifeless response, Leriana fidgeted with her fingers. In truth, she knew. That avoiding like this wouldn’t solve anything.
She knew, but… Every time she resolved to apologize, remembering Rohan’s eyes filled with utter despair made her lose courage. In the not-so-short time she had spent with him, Leriana had easily noticed that Rohan and Arpel blindly depended on each other.
She had put such a person at risk of losing his partner in an instant. The petty pride she had held, thinking she had become stronger and could be of sufficient help, had ultimately committed an irreversible sin.
The more she thought about it, the deeper she seemed to sink into the swamp of guilt. Her chest felt so tight it was almost suffocating.
“Sometimes, conversation is the quickest solution.”
A calm voice broke the momentary silence. Casia, who had been steadily gazing forward, slightly turned her gaze to look down at Leriana. The small face was completely covered with self-reproach.
She briefly recalled her conversation with Dein. Also, the story about the strange incident she had heard after accidentally meeting him in the village. She had decided to participate in the investigation because it seemed heavily related to the imperial palace, but the two had heard unexpected news from Dein.
‘Haha, you’re quite lucky. To have both Lady Leriana and Rohan helping with this investigation.’
‘…Rohan? Rohan is here too?’
‘Yes, we happened to meet yesterday evening… Oh, right. Rohan was looking for you two.’
Immediately after hearing this, Leriana couldn’t hide her stiff expression. Even Dein, who had been continuing to speak, noticed her expression and cautiously asked.
‘Um, perhaps… did you two have a fight?’
She gave a negative answer, but he didn’t seem to believe it. It was understandable. There was no way someone as perceptive as him wouldn’t have noticed the strange atmosphere in the air.
But there was also a gain from this. They were able to hear the good news that Arpel was safe. Casia, who had been quietly recalling the events from a few hours ago, drove the point home.
“I won’t comfort you even if you grab my pant leg later, regretting that you should have talked earlier.”
Hearing these words, the gloom instantly vanished from Leriana’s face. The added remark was ruthlessly cold. A complex gaze mixing annoyance and gratitude was directed at Casia.
“Alright… after this is over.”
Finally, Leriana declared surrender in a small voice. Right, we should talk at least once…. Rolling her eyes and avoiding eye contact once more while rationalizing was a bonus. Perhaps her heart had already been leaning towards one side. She had just been afraid of receiving another reproachful gaze and turned away in advance.
She shook her head several times to calm her unsettled feelings. It was to focus again on surveying the surroundings.
The reason the two were combing through this secluded forest path was simple. While investigating the area around the village at Dein’s request, they had heard a story from an old man.
He said that while picking mushrooms in the forest, he had accidentally ventured deep into the woods, and while wandering there, he discovered traces that seemed to indicate people had stayed there for a long time. There were quite a few of these traces, so he feared it might be a bandit camp and hurriedly left the forest. Although it wasn’t an eyewitness account of the missing mercenaries… the two thought it wouldn’t be bad to go check the place out themselves.
“I’m sure he said it was around here…”
An overgrown forest path where people didn’t pass, countless similar-looking trees stretched out in confusion. Leriana, holding the rough map the old man had drawn, tilted her head. It seemed that his worry about the location not being accurate due to his hasty return had come true.
“…Sia, don’t you think we’re lost?”
Fiddling with the paper, Leriana finally voiced the fact she had been avoiding. A heavy silence fell between the two. Casia, who seemed to be denying reality for a moment, nodded with a quiet sigh.
“Wouldn’t it be better to leave the forest and start searching again from the beginning-“
Casia was about to say.
She could have finished if only a fierce killing intent hadn’t suddenly enveloped them. Casia, her eyes wide open, blocked Leriana’s front and swung her sword. The daggers she deflected without missing a single one fell to the ground in a shower.
Leriana silently summoned and grasped her Holy Sword, drawing up her holy power. At the same time, the authority enveloping her body reached Casia. It was a calm attitude unbelievable for someone suddenly thrust into battle. However, her mind was incredibly complex.
Why suddenly? Was it a lie from the start? Was that old man also in on it… Such questions sprouted like bamboo shoots. No matter how much she pondered, there were no answers she could arrive at in this situation. For now, she had to put aside complicated thoughts and safely navigate through this situation.
As she made this judgment and readjusted her grip on the sword, she felt a presence from deep within the forest.
“…Be careful, Lady Leriana.”
An unrefined, sharp killing intent surged. It wasn’t that the opponent was so poor as to be unable to conceal their presence. The opponent seemed to feel no need to hide their appearance or conceal their killing intent. The overwhelming presence flowing from beyond justified that arrogance.
The man who revealed himself like that was quite familiar to both of them.
“……”
Crunch. Leriana, silently staring at the man, gritted her teeth. Although he was thoroughly wrapped in a robe, she could tell who he was. That form, build, gait, the sword hanging at his waist… She had never forgotten any of it.
Even though considerable time had passed, that incident remained deeply rooted in her mind. The ambush they faced as soon as they left the temple, the first time she encountered someone else’s killing intent, someone’s blood spraying through the air… The day when she could only watch as Casia, who had been steadfastly guarding her front, got injured protecting her.
She forcibly suppressed the killing intent swelling within her. Giving in to anger would clearly only poison herself. As she was taking a light breath while readjusting her posture.
The man rushed in with his sword drawn. He reached them in the blink of an eye, but they didn’t panic. Casia parried his sword, and Leriana, who had instantly wedged herself between them, cut down the man. The holy power rippling over the blade burst into dazzling light.
At the same time, the man’s body staggered ever so slightly. Too much force on one side had disrupted his center of balance. Casia didn’t miss this opening.
“Hup!”
The sword strike launched by gathering all the strength in her body, enhanced by authority, emitted a fierce light. The man barely avoided it with its sharp momentum, but that wasn’t the only attack aimed at him.
“…!”
The Holy Sword that rose up from the right corner cut through the man’s front. Although he pulled his body back at the last moment, resulting in only a shallow wound, it was a commendable achievement to have inflicted an injury despite the brief exchange.
The man who had stepped back stared intently at his front where light bloodstains had seeped in. Eventually, an emotionless voice flowed from him.
“An unusual power.”
“This will be the last time you can act so leisurely, so enjoy it while you can.”
Leriana sneered briefly. Casia added that she shouldn’t respond, but she remained steadfast. It took all her effort just to not rush in overcome by anger.
After starting her personal training separate from Rohan, her authority had developed further. It was no longer limited to generally enhancing the opponent’s physical abilities but became possible to selectively enhance specific parts.
Thanks to this, those facing her often lost balance as sudden strength entered only one part of their body. The man’s momentary stagger was along the same lines. Too much strength entering only his right arm would have disrupted his center of balance for a moment.
Nevertheless, Leriana couldn’t be fully pleased. Unlike her previous opponents who were confused, not knowing what was happening to their bodies, this man had accurately grasped the situation. Even that this was a result of Leriana’s power.
Silently gritting her teeth, Leriana thought.
‘This time, for sure… by my own hands.’
She would end his life.
She readjusted her grip on the sword in her hand. And she instantly broke the precariously continuing silence. Her body, having stomped the ground, shot straight towards the man. Watching the vivid aura overlaying the hateful sword, Leriana swung her blade.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
