“Young master, have you gone mad?”
The sound that escaped the knight’s throat was as cold as that.
It was a cry that only a beast could possess.
The swordsman, who had lived on the battlefield in the snowfield for decades, had such a terrifying aspect. Each word he spoke dripped with deep malice.
Victory is not determined solely by skill.
Practical experience and adaptability were just as important. No matter how strong I was in battle, my opponent was a seasoned warrior with countless victories.
Even if my reputation was high, he was not an opponent I could afford to underestimate.
So, I deliberately held my breath and calmed my mind.
The tension that had been trembling began to settle gradually. My body lightly stiffened, wondering when the tension of animosity would snap.
I still had something to say.
“Who calls me mad? Is it the human who classifies all elves as potential murderers and burns peaceful villages?”
“It’s for humanity!”
That was Sir Alex’s argument.
He seemed to genuinely think so. He flicked the dust off the area around his solar plexus where I had struck him.
His eyes were fierce.
Though we were conversing, the intensity of his presence felt like we were already in battle.
“Let’s suppose, for argument’s sake, that they are innocent. And if they were to live peacefully for hundreds of years… what would change? They are elves!”
“It is not a death sentence to be born an elf.”
“No, it is indeed a death sentence. They feed and clothe the elves who raise their swords against us.”
The conversation was futile.
I thought that no matter how long the exchange lasted, the conclusion would be obvious. So, I tightened my grip on my sword and scratched my throat lightly.
The timbre of my voice was now oozing animosity.
“Were you so confident that you hid it from Senior Delphine?”
For a moment, the knight’s words stopped.
This was the first time I was having a conversation like this with him. His sharply focused gaze turned towards me.
As if daring me to keep talking.
“Senior Delphine was troubled because of the elf attacks. Moreover, she asked me to resolve the issue… But you mean to say that an ambush I’ve never heard of is happening?”
“She might have hidden it from you, miss.”
“No, that can’t be true.”
I stifled a laugh and lowered my sword further.
As if to say I could target the knight’s throat with that sword tip at any moment.
“Our relationship is quite deep… deeper than Sir Alex can imagine.”
Swallowing hard, Sir Alex turned his gaze away from me. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. But he wouldn’t have the luxury to think for long.
I certainly wouldn’t give him that chance.
Through clenched teeth, the cold inquiry continued.
“Why did you betray Yuridina?”
“Betrayal…”
Sir Alex smirked as if he heard something amusing.
He still appeared confident, making my appearance of interrogation seem absurd.
“To have my loyalty questioned, even this Alex has fallen from grace… It’s a misunderstanding.”
Those words were utterly shameless.
How could he do such a thing?
He had intentionally concealed information from Senior Delphine and even provoked the elves. The elves fell into socializing and attacked humanity due to such provocations.
That’s why everyone had to suffer and die.
The blood of the elves stained my hands was a testament to that.
In the end, I couldn’t hide my rising emotions. The heat surged up my throat.
“You hid information from Senior Delphine!”
“So?”
At that blatantly defiant question, I found myself speechless.
It wasn’t that we couldn’t communicate.
I simply couldn’t fathom his intent.
Without understanding that implication, I had no rebuttal. My unrefined language turned into a torrent, hitting my heart fiercely.
What is he saying now?
How could he be so shameless?
Once again, I was about to raise my voice.
“Miss Delphine… was sharp-minded since childhood, and her personal strength is remarkable. She commands the respect of her retainers. However, she is not Yuridina.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You will gradually come to understand. I swear, I did not betray Yuridina…”
The knight slowly gripped the hilt of his sword.
A red aura flickered and swirled around the blade.
It was a clear provocation, and in response, a silver flame began to flicker on my sword as well.
It seemed like he was giving me an ultimatum.
“Will you still hold back? From me, a loyal subject of Yuridina, who has devoted himself to humanity?”
“You said you were loyal to Yuridina.”
I wore a fierce smile.
Just as the knight had done until now.
“I am loyal to Senior Delphine.”
“Young lady, you’ve chosen an excellent hand…”
With that, Sir Alex stroked his chin. A satisfied light glimmered in his eyes.
Nodding slightly, he spoke.
“Everyone, step back. Your skills are nothing but an obstruction.”
Those words were not directed at me.
The soldiers who had been trembling, startled, gradually stepped back. The two experts, terrified by the murderous intent emanating from us, had already turned pale.
Sir Alex smiled brightly and announced.
“Then, shall we dance the sword dance?”
There was no room to yield the first move.
My feet struck the ground with all my might. My body, propelled by the sudden burst of speed, screamed, but I did not intend to slow my advance.
Time seemed to float momentarily.
However, my opponent was a seasoned veteran who had seen and endured many battles. He would surely catch on to my intentions quickly.
As proof, he swung his large sword in a heavy, sweeping arc.
A massive blade filled my vision as it came rushing at me. In response, I channeled massive momentum into my sword.
Then came the explosion.
As soon as the two swords clashed, the air ripped apart. Waves rippled across the snowfield like stones striking a surface.
Several nearby elves screamed and fell.
But this was only the beginning.
Clang, clang, clang!
The exchanges of blows sparked brilliantly. The strikes came one after the other, from the lower right to the upper left, and then a direct blow to the center.
The speed was unbelievable for a great sword.
But no matter how fast it was, it could not surpass the difference between our armaments. The great sword was heavy and strong but slower than my strikes.
If he couldn’t overpower me with sheer force, my upper hand remained unchanged.
With a clang, the great sword was sent crashing as mine deflected it. As expected, speed was my advantage.
Against the collision, I struck downward with my sword, sending the one stuck in the ground bouncing upward. Pulling the blade lodged in the ground took more strength than anticipated. Especially since my sword was pointed downwards while Sir Alex’s was directed upwards.
The great sword had no means to counter my strike.
Yes, with a great sword.
As the blades scraped against each other, an unpleasant noise echoed. I felt a solid force forcibly locking my sword in place.
It was his gauntlet.
The thick steel gauntlets Sir Alex wore were now stained with the aura of blood. I was taken aback and tried to pull my sword free, but his grip was stronger than I imagined.
The corner of the knight’s mouth twisted.
“Armor is not just for show, young master.”
With a sharp kick to my solar plexus, I struggled to hold onto my sword’s grip but did not lose my hold on the hilt.
As a consequence, the knight’s foot struck my abdomen in rapid succession.
Thud, thud, thud.
With every sound of leather striking flesh, my consciousness faded. I released one hand from my sword to fumble for my hand axe.
In an instant, a white trajectory formed.
The knight finally seemed satisfied as he released his grip on my sword. My body, having been kicked one last time, wobbled back.
A feeling of nausea washed over me.
It wasn’t a full-powered kick. While holding my sword, he couldn’t muster all his strength to strike my solar plexus.
Nevertheless, the impact was effective.
Blood trickled from my lips. It was a slight bleeding, but it was not a good sign.
It meant my insides were being damaged.
“Human!”
The voices of the elves, including Ishya, rang out in a cacophony. They must have found the scene bewildering.
In mere seconds, with several exchanges of blows, why did I have to step back?
They could never comprehend my situation.
They only screamed, feeling my impending doom even in their dazed state.
Sir Alex tossed me a remark.
“What a noisy audience. Should I shut them up for you?”
“There is indeed one person who is most bothersome… just a moment ago he was flapping his lips.”
With those words, I coughed and spat a mouthful of blood.
It had been a long time since I tasted blood in my mouth. Lowering my stance, I glared at Sir Alex.
Not only his armor but even his gauntlets were of high quality.
Moreover, I had never encountered someone who layered their aura onto their armor before. He was unlike any opponent I had faced thus far.
Experienced and full of tricks.
That meant I had no need to conceal my full strength either.
I steadied my breath, ready for what lay ahead.
