bl**d and swords dance.
Before long, a brutal spectacle unfolded on the snowfield as the sunset descended. Though it was a disheveled struggle between two men striving to take each other’s lives, it was, in a way, a dance.
Could there be a dance that matched this fleeting moment?
Several tendrils erupted from the flesh. The sharp ends aimed at me like daggers.
And the tendrils shot forward in an instant.
I had no intention of quietly submitting.
As the silver light of my sword exploded, bl**d burst forth between the shattered tendrils. Taking advantage of the gap, one middle-aged man charged toward me.
It was Leorick.
I couldn’t tell if it was his real body or his replica.
It was likely a replica. He wouldn’t have done something foolish like put his real body at the forefront.
A powerful kick, infused with the speed of my charge, slammed into my waist.
Thunk, the impact shook my flesh and bone.
I raised my sword to block, but it was impossible to completely negate the shock.
I muttered curses inwardly as I slid across the flesh.
The boiling flesh seemed to cling and try to pull at my ankles.
I quickly kicked off from the flesh and took a few steps back.
Then, numerous replicas of Leorick shook their skulls and opened their mouths wide.
As if they had been waiting for me to do so.
Aaaaaaaaaah!
One by one, heads began to emit a white light like bulbs.
In a hurry, I concentrated my aura into my sword.
Decision.
The blade reflected the beams like a mirror. Adjusting the angle, I swept the area with light, several of Leorick’s replicas ignited, making a sizzling sound.
The horrific smell of burning flesh filled the air. The scent of a corpse cooking was never something one could get used to.
I gasped for breath.
I was starting to feel weary and fatigued. Meanwhile, Leorick still appeared vigorous, shouting with the mouths of several replicas.
“Un, be, lie, va, ble!”
“I’m getting tired of that… Shut up!”
Once again, my feet slammed into the ground.
However, I couldn’t completely focus on Leorick. It was because the contact I had been waiting for hadn’t arrived yet.
It should be about time.
Just as my hope seemed to be rewarded, a voice echoed from the magical artifact I wore in my ear.
It was a discreet, small voice.
[Sir Ian! Are you safe?! We’ve just arrived!]
“Where’s Ceria?”
[She’s right here beside me!]
I let out a sigh of relief.
Now, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope in the situation.
Of course, even while this was happening, Leorick wasn’t idle. Two of his replicas charged at me, throwing punches and kicks.
It looked like simple brawling, but the power was not to be underestimated.
The body of Leorick, infused with the power of the evil god, was strong.
Even simple punches and kicks had the force comparable to cannon fire. I grit my teeth and used my ‘Decision’ to deflect the attacks from both replicas.
With a clear clang, the fingers and toes that collided with my sword crumbled.
And the subsequent Release.
With a click, the embedded blade traced a horizontal line of light.
Having put everything into it, the muscles in my arms stiffened and contracted. By the end, I didn’t even feel any resistance.
Leorick’s two replicas were torn in half and scattered.
At that moment, having regained some composure, I gasped for air and conveyed my needs.
“Ceria, come to support as quickly as possible, and please have the Imperial Princess open her ‘eyes’.”
[‘Eyes’?]
“Yes, that thing… the ‘Dragon’s Eye’ or whatever! Hurry up!”
In response to my urging, I sensed a flustered movement beyond the magical artifact.
The outcome of that was revealed shortly after.
Ceria dashed in like she was flying and landed behind me. Despite landing on the flesh, not even the slightest noise was made.
Immediately after that clean landing, Ceria grabbed my hand with an anxious expression.
“Se, Senior Ian… Are you okay? Your breathing doesn’t sound good, and you’re covered in bl**d…!”
“It’s not my bl**d.”
Though a bit of my own was mixed in, I didn’t intentionally mention it.
Ceria’s hand was still trembling.
“Don’t lie. Your bl**d smells clean… unlike the disgusting monster’s.”
As I was about to say what nonsense that was, I recalled Ceria’s secret and forced a smile.
My eyes quickly glanced at Betty, who had been set down behind me.
Gray hair and blue eyes.
How did I not realize it sooner?
While fending off the tendril that struck like a whip, I spoke firmly to Ceria.
“Ceria, do you trust me?”
“Yes, yes?”
Now it was Ceria’s turn to sound bewildered.
It was a frustrating situation given the urgency, but I didn’t rush her.
It was that important.
“Do you trust me? No matter what happens, can you not doubt me…?”
“Of course!”
Ceria raised her voice as if she couldn’t believe it.
Instead, it felt like I was being interrogated.
Her voice, heated with excitement, spilled forth.
“How could I ever doubt you, Senior Ian? I swear I’ve never done so! Even if you told me to d*e right now, I would!”
“You are not a monster.”
Just one word.
Ceria’s expression turned blank at my unexpected statement.
She looked confused. It was a natural reaction.
A tendril that had been flying towards me was split apart by my silver aura. The fallen tendril began to glow, but I paid it no attention.
It was a sight I had grown accustomed to.
Now, there were more important matters to discuss.
“You said you won’t doubt me? So you have to absolutely believe what I say.”
“Well, that’s true. But what does that mean…?”
“And I will never let you shoulder this alone.”
Ceria tilted her head in confusion.
I couldn’t explain the situation just yet.
This was entirely a secret of the Yuridina Clan. As an outsider, I couldn’t step in to reveal the truth.
Even if I did reveal it, the one who should do so would have to be Senior Delphine, the heir of the Yuridina Clan.
Nevertheless, I emphasized once more with a strong will.
“So don’t try to sacrifice yourself unnecessarily. No matter what happens, always consult with me or Senior Delphine, and don’t even think of carelessly leaving my side….”
“Enough!”
Ceria shouted with a pained expression at my continued scolding.
She looked somewhat aggrieved.
It seemed my cautioning made her feel embarrassed.
“Senior Ian, I’m not a child. You don’t need to worry about me like that. And just to let you know, I have no intention of leaving your side….”
“Just to be safe, I’m saying this.”
I ruffled Ceria’s gray hair, as if to calm her down.
The battle was still in a lull.
As tendrils were cut down one after another, and replicas exploded, it seemed Leorick decided to observe the situation. Of course, it would only be a brief pause; after assessing Ceria’s power, the assault would surely resume.
In that moment of respite, I spoke to Ceria.
“Don’t disappear on your own, Ceria.”
It was something that could become tiresome to hear after a few times.
Yet Ceria didn’t show any signs of discomfort. To be precise, it seemed she appreciated my touch.
The pushback came from another source.
[Um, Sir Ian? So what should we do now?]
There was a subtle hint of dissatisfaction in the voice.
I fell silent at the Imperial Princess’s sulky voice coming from the magical artifact in my ear. I realized I hadn’t provided her with a detailed plan.
As my hand paused, Ceria snapped back to her senses.
This was a battlefield.
I realized I had wasted too much time.
Though it was a serious problem for me, for Ceria, who didn’t understand the situation, it must have felt like just idle chatter, and it made sense for her to want to organize the situation.
However, there was one puzzling mystery.
I was left wondering why the timid Imperial Princess had interrupted me.
It wasn’t an important issue, though.
To ease the tension, I tossed out a small joke.
“Your Highness, are you jealous that I’m only looking after Ceria?”
The Imperial Princess’s reaction was dramatically high.
[Jealous? How could I ever… I’m not jealous at all, no. Not jealous…!]
Her voice, transmitted through the magical artifact, rose in pitch. It began as a whisper and now felt like thunder striking my eardrums.
It indicated how flustered she was.
If I probed just a bit further, I might witness a more interesting reaction, but I decided to stop there.
Regardless of which side it was, it didn’t matter as long as the tension was relieved.
“Then please focus. There will likely only be one chance.”
As I took a step forward, Leorick’s eyes turned toward me.
The sight of countless replicas focusing on me felt eerie.
I needed to find the real body among those replicas.
And as far as I knew, only one person could carry out that task.
“Your Highness, when I signal, please point out the replica that has a ‘color.’”
Only then did the Imperial Princess let out a short gasp through the magical artifact.
It seemed she was beginning to realize what my plan was.
