Reset Life – Chapter 98

Chapter 98: What Have You Been Doing Until Now?! (4)

“That’s right. Artshever Le Setrife. My enemy. Nothing else he could be.”

“If you made him your enemy…… I would be careful.”

“Why?”

“No matter how I look at it, I don’t see a way to win. If I challenge him a hundred times, I’ll lose a hundred times.”

I stopped walking and turned my head.

This is the first time I’ve seen Al openly talk about defeat. Isn’t he the type who keeps training because he hates losing to his friends?

Lucy, who was next to Al, scratched his head.

“Actually, I felt the same way. Hmm, if I were a mage, I would never associate with a guy like that, even if it killed me. His mere presence weakens my natural control over space. Other mages probably feel their natural dominance shrinking as well.”

“Is that dangerous?”

“For example, it’s like this. No matter how powerful a Duke is, he can’t help but be intimidated by the Emperor’s power. It’s like being one step behind in terms of momentum, rather than individual ability.”

Lucy gave a bitter smile. Al also nodded.

I tilted my head.

Certainly, Artshever seems like a guy who’s a collection of all the world’s oddities, but I don’t think I can’t beat him.

How should I put it…… I have a feeling that I will definitely beat him someday.

Anyway, I don’t feel intimidated even when I stand before him.

Well, everyone has different perspectives, but since the people who can beat me said so, let’s keep it in mind for now.

Walking in the direction Artshever indicated, we soon found a large brown rock.

The brown rock, about 10 meters tall, was surrounded by various jagged rocks. The perimeter of the rock cluster was roughly 30 meters.

We approached the rock cluster and found a piece of paper attached to the first rock we saw.

I read it with a wry smile.

“Follow this way and watch, Als.”

“Als?”

“It’s Artshever’s nickname.”

“It’s a surprisingly cute nickname. I thought Riche would suit him better.”

“That’s mainly used as a nickname for Beatrice.”

At Al’s words, I scratched my head. No matter how you look at it, the nickname Riche doesn’t suit a man, but…… I looked at ‘Lucy’. Then I nodded unconsciously. Well, a name doesn’t determine gender.

By the way, he seems to have prepared thoroughly.

I flicked the paper.

“There’s no other way. It’s ridiculous not to listen after coming this far, right?”

“That’s right.”

“It can’t be helped. Let’s go this way.”

We followed the guide and entered the crevice of the rock.

There was a large rock behind us, and it was pierced like a window towards the front. It was a spacious enough space even if Lucy, Al, and I entered.

The meaning of this structure was obvious, so I looked outside through the window (?).

Right below the rock cluster, two groups, one in gray clothes of about ten people and the other in black clothes of about thirty people, were facing each other.

Mangya and Black New Moon.

In front of them stood Levidian and Aila.

Seeing that, Lucy clicked his tongue and said.

“The view is good.”

“You’re right. But we can’t hear anything, can we?”

“That’s not necessarily true.”

Lucy shrugged and bent over. When he straightened up, he was holding a crystal ball the size of a fist.

“I can feel a magical energy. Maybe this is transmitting the sound from over there?”

“Just how much did he prepare?”

I was dumbfounded and even felt a bit deflated. I felt extremely uncomfortable because it felt like I was moving according to Artshever’s will.

Sigh, now is not the time to express displeasure. Let’s just watch them until Artshever appears.

Both Black New Moon and Mangya stood neatly, looking at each other. Although there was blood splattered here and there, and quite a few were injured, they stood in an upright posture, not losing their composure.

After a while of silence, a voice suddenly flowed from the crystal ball Lucy was holding.

“Long time no see, Aila.”

“Yes, unni. I can’t even say ‘how have you been’ even though it’s cliché.”

Have they finally started the confrontation? Well, looking at their current state, it felt like that.

“The place where Black New Moon was first formed. Let’s settle things there. It’s an offer you can’t refuse.”

“I wanted to stop the unnecessary sacrifices.”

“By the way, that’s unexpected. I didn’t know you were the master of Mangya. Even though you’re from the Hind family, I thought someone else would be the master.”

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m an only child.”

“What can’t you do if you try to hide it?”

“The way unni says it makes the freshness feel like a freshly caught fish, flapping around.”

Levidian closed her mouth. I, Lucy, and Al, who were listening, all had dumbfounded expressions.

Aila, you are truly amazing. To not lose your sense of humor in any situation. It’s truly a remarkable talent.

I could hear Levidian let out a small sigh.

“Well, I had a lot to hide too. Things I didn’t know in the first place.”

“You didn’t know? Then there was no need to suddenly leave Risel like that, was there?”

“I agree on that point. But wouldn’t it be impossible to resist if someone broke in at night, drugged you, rolled you up in a blanket, and carried you away?”

Was that what happened?

I always thought she was far from being kidnapped or confined. If someone decided to kidnap or confine her, they would have to look for a grave site to match the number of people carrying out the act.

“So even unni gets kidnapped. But why didn’t you go back after being kidnapped?”

“Go back? You talk as if that place is where I should rightfully be. Aila, that’s not my home.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Of course.”

Aila snorted. Even from a distance, I could see her exaggeratingly shrugging her shoulders.

“Alright. Fine. But how about taking off the ring on your finger first before you say that?”

“Th-this is because my finger got fat after I unconsciously wore it. It has nothing to do with Risel.”

“Ah, yes. Is that so? Okay.”

Aila spoke in a sarcastic tone, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Levidian, if you speak in that tone, I don’t think anyone will believe you.

“Well, there must be a reason for it. But that’s not something to talk about here. We have to settle things first. As the representatives of Black New Moon and Mangya. But unni, how did you become the head of Black New Moon?”

“As you might have guessed, my bloodline is on that side. Of course, I didn’t know. One morning, when I woke up, I was bewildered because I wasn’t where I had fallen asleep. Because it had never happened before. When my father, whom I thought was dead, appeared, I was so surprised I almost fell over. Even more so when he suddenly told me to take over Black New Moon.”

“Father? Ah, I see. The successor of Black New Moon is……”

“That’s right. It has to be a woman. Unlike Mangya, where gender doesn’t matter.”

“Then unni, are you moving like that now, listening to the words of the person who is your father? Without your own will? Honestly, I can’t understand. Is there a reason why someone like unni should become the head of assassins?”

I nodded at Aila’s words. And Lucy, who was stroking his chin next to me, also said this.

“Certainly, the head of assassins doesn’t suit her. Miss Aila, since you have a lot to hide, you seem to suit anything.”

I agree. I’m sorry to say this to Aila, but even if she said now, ‘Actually, I was a man all along~!’, it would be less shocking than if someone else said it.

But Levidian as the head of an assassin group? No one would have thought of that. Even I, looking at her like this now, feel like my sense of reality has drifted across the Sair River.

Levidian, who had gathered everyone’s curiosity, remained silent for a moment before opening her mouth.

“If you want to hear the reason…… beat me. The winner can always demand anything from the loser.”

“Unni, asking me to defeat the Sword King, even jokes have limits. If anyone heard this, they would laugh. That Sword King Levidian challenged a girl under ten years old to a duel.”

“If you want to hear the truth, you have to take that much risk. If you don’t, I have no intention of saying anything.”

“Sigh, really? What would Risel say if he saw this? Were you planning to say the same thing to Risel?”

“Of course.”

“Alright. Then I have a better chance than Risel. I’m saying this because Risel isn’t here, but honestly, Risel wouldn’t be my match right now.”

“It’s the same for me. Risel can’t beat me yet. Of course, even if you beat him, would you be my match?”

What should I say? Considering that she already broke my arms and legs, I already admitted that Aila is stronger than me. The whole world knows that Levidian is strong. Even so, listening to them talk like this makes me feel quite complicated.

First of all, since both of them are looking down on me, even if it’s true, I can’t help but feel my stomach churning.

Even if the number of people stronger than me around me has increased recently, I’m not that weak.

Anyway, there are many monsters in the world, and it seems like they’ve all gathered around me.

One of those monsters looked at me and opened her mouth.

“Is she Sword King Levidian?”

“Huh? Didn’t I tell you?”

“No, you didn’t! I didn’t know either.”

At Lucy’s words, I thought for a moment. And I nodded. I haven’t told him yet.

Al, as usual, said with a glint in his eyes.

“Good. I’ll get to see a good show today.”

“Well…… I wonder.”

I gave a bitter smile at Al’s words. By the way, why hasn’t Artshever appeared yet?

“If there’s no point of agreement, we’ll have to force one. The master of Mangya, Maya Hind, challenges the master of Black New Moon to a duel with its control at stake.”

“The master of Black New Moon, Levidian Maya, accepts the challenge. This duel will not end until one of us dies or admits defeat.”

In the end, they are going to start a duel. I clenched my teeth. I don’t have to keep my promise with Artshever, but I’m curious about what he’s going to show me.

I think Artshever will appear soon, and until then, neither of them will die or get hurt. Wouldn’t Aila have a few ways to cope, considering her opponent is the Sword King?

“Hey, Risel, are you sure you’re okay not going out?”

“I need to see what Artshever is up to. Surely one of them wouldn’t die easily, would they? Aila would have thought about that much.”

“Hmm, I see. But it’s better to be prepared to jump out at any time.”

“Preparedness averts peril.”

“Of course. I haven’t forgotten that either.”

I carefully checked the straps of my leather armor and my sword. I took off my luggage here and prepared to be able to go out quickly at any time.

I peeked at Levidian and Aila through the crevice of the rock, and focused on every sound coming from the crystal ball.

If one of them is in danger, I’ll immediately shout and run out. Since there’s a high chance they’ll both stop acting to listen to me.

Levidian drew her sword first. The way she draws her sword is extremely natural and beautiful. It’s as if I can tell who she is just by that single movement, even from a distance.

Aila held a small sword, something between a dagger and a longsword, in her right hand. With her left hand extended forward, she turned the small sword, held in reverse grip, backward. It was a posture where you couldn’t tell what she was preparing just by that movement.

“Limit Break. Maximum.”

Aila’s low voice flowed from the crystal ball.

Is it magic?

“Lucy.”

“I don’t know either. It could be a spell. Break the limit. To the maximum. What does it mean?”

“We’ll see.”

Al answered Lucy’s question. And as if she had heard it, Aila moved first.

No, she blinked.

Only a puff of dust rose from where she had stood. In the blink of an eye, she reached Levidian and swung her sword.

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