Chapter 100: What Have You Been Doing Until Now?! (6)
It was a personal battle, one that no one could interfere with, the kind that comes only once or twice in a lifetime.
It was a fight where one should be angry if anyone intervened, regardless of the reason.
The bystander can only accept the result from afar……
……But I hate it.
Something I can’t control has happened again.
Something that shouldn’t be controlled has happened.
Is it really impossible? Can I not interfere?
At this rate…… even the talk of controlling the future is nothing more than a momentary whim of a young brat!
Remember what you said in front of Duke Ecoshian!
You said you would even become the Emperor if necessary, right?
“Ugh!”
I gritted my teeth.
I can’t step forward? I realized that?
Lies. That’s a lie I made for myself, for myself who can’t keep up with Levidian and Aila!
What if it’s not a lie, but the truth?
Ah, yes. That would be fine too.
Because I would be able to control even that!
Shall we try it?
It’s a test for myself!
I jumped up from my seat. There was a slight hesitation in my chest, but it was too weak to grab my legs. What’s boiling inside my chest right now is…… the backlash against a reality I can’t control, the thrill of challenging something I shouldn’t, and the confidence that I can pull it off!
“Risel?”
“Are you leaving?”
Lucy and Al turned to me. I lightly nodded, placing my hand on the hilt of my sword.
“I can’t leave it like that. It might be too late even if I go now, but there are things in the world that I can’t just stand by and watch.”
They looked at each other. As old friends do, they communicated with their eyes, then smiled and said.
“Look at this. I’d be offended if you left me out of something like this.”
“I don’t know those two very well, but I’ll cooperate.”
I didn’t speak for long. I just nodded with a deep smile.
Aila and Levidian’s confrontation seems like it will last a long time. If I can just go out and get their attention, I should be able to avoid a fatal clash.
And then what?
I’ll have to use a tactic that I like but don’t use often.
Whatever will be, will be!
We came out of the crevice. The two were still facing each other. Once we get to a position where they can see us properly, it’ll work out somehow.
Sorry Artshever, but it’s your fault for showing up late.
After apologizing sufficiently in my heart, I hurriedly climbed over the rocks.
Just as I escaped the rock formations.
I realized once again.
My decision was too late.
It was only a fleeting moment, but that short gap had resulted in irreversible consequences.
The two of them, rushed towards each other.
The trail of light left by Aila, her whole body enveloped in light, was continuing. With a tail of light like a meteor, she was running towards Levidian.
Levidian was running towards Aila, her black hair fluttering.
No matter how fast or loud I shouted, my voice would reach them when they were already pointing their swords at each other.
I felt my heart sink. It was a miserable feeling, as if my heart had been ripped out of my chest and was rolling around.
No sound came out of my mouth.
Moreover, when I saw the white figure rushing between the two of them, I didn’t want to say anything.
Light exploded.
Kaboom-!
A sound rang out, reminiscent of a cannonball falling, but several times more powerful than a cannon. The sound vibrated the air, and the air vibrated my body.
The white light soared into the sky, taking the shape of a blazing flame. The light, which had expanded and expanded, filling the surroundings with a milky white light, suddenly died down.
It was a clean extinction, leaving no faint smoke, like a candle suddenly going out.
Below it, a single shadow stood arrogantly on two feet.
Suddenly, I muttered the name, as if reciting the name of a ghost.
“Artshever……!”
My enemy. My guide so far.
Artshever Le Setrife stood proudly.
In his left hand, he held a limp Aila.
“Ah……! Ah……!”
My whole body is trembling.
Is this what you wanted to show me?
Even Levidian has her sword stuck in the ground and is leaning on it.
Amidst the explosion of light formed by a terrifying power, he somehow managed to slip in between them and blow both Levidian and Aila away.
“Artshever-!”
My voice finally erupted from my mouth.
My unbelievably loud voice echoed several times across the plains where there should be no echo.
Artshever turned his head towards me.
It was too far to see in detail, but I could definitely feel it.
He was smiling!
“You’re out already? The real show hasn’t even started yet.”
“Shut up-! Whatever it is, I won’t watch your tricks anymore!”
“Risel-!”
Levidian’s voice came through the crystal ball.
I drew my sword and started running. Lucy and Al followed behind me.
Artshever tossed the Aila he was holding. She was thrown away like trash and rolled on the floor.
Ugh! That damn bastard!
Aila wriggled her body greatly and barely managed to raise herself. As if she was taking a deep breath, a faint voice could be heard from the crystal ball.
“Huff……! Huff! Risel? Could it be…… you……?”
“It’s no fun if the stage is set but not all the actors are gathered. Fun is very important. Didn’t I teach you that, Aila?”
“Who…… Who taught who?! Cough! Cough! Don’t be ridiculous……! I, I’ve never learned anything from you……!”
“Oh my. You have quite the nerve to talk to your dad like that. This dad is heartbroken.”
“A person like you…… I’ve never acknowledged you as my dad……! My dad is someone else! Cough! You…… are not!”
I tilted my head. What is Artshever talking about? Dad? Aila’s?
Aila’s father is Baron Dakard!
No matter how I look at it, the age difference between him and Aila wouldn’t be more than ten years. Him being a dad? It’s logically impossible and unbelievable.
But he’s telling the truth.
Why do I feel this way?
Artshever said in a slimy manner.
“Oh my! You pretended not to know even when you saw it in the past, and now you’re openly denying it. I’m sad. We’ve been connected for quite a long time, and yet you say that?”
“Shut up! I don’t…… want to talk to you about anything!”
Aila coughed repeatedly as she said that.
“Tsk, throwing away your old dad because you found a good one. Did you ask a toad for a favor? Give me your old dad and I’ll give you a new one. My, what a generous toad. Or a moron.”
“Shut up! Don’t say anymore! If you say anything more, I’ll kill you!”
Aila revealed her intense emotions as they were. This is the first time I’ve seen Aila like this. I don’t remember Aila ever spewing out such intense anger and excitement.
But…… why do I consider such a sight natural?
Before I knew it, they had come close enough for me to hear their voices directly. Artshever said,
“It doesn’t matter what you think. The important thing is, Sir Arisein over there has already heard everything. Wouldn’t it be better to think of an excuse to use later?”
“Ugh……! Cough! Cough!”
Aila, whose face was flushed red with anger, started coughing again. It was such a violent cough that I thought she might cough up blood.
And finally, I stood at a similar distance from Levidian, Artshever, and Aila.
“Risel……”
“Ibi, to be honest, I was going to be angry when we first met.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No. Let’s save the apologies until after I’ve heard everything.”
“Okay.”
I turned my head.
Artshever and Aila…… I hate to think it, but they resembled each other enough that I couldn’t deny a blood relationship.
If Artshever met a woman with black hair, it seems like a wonderful child with ash-gray hair like Aila would be born.
“Hey, Artshever.”
“Yes. What is it?”
“Do you have more to show me?”
“I still have more.”
“Please. I wish you would stop.”
Not only Aila, but Levidian was also injured.
He’s strong.
Leaving aside what Lucy and Al said, right now I was feeling his strength firsthand.
The lines starting from his fingers and continuing to his arms were ready to unleash immense power at any moment, and his legs were fully prepared to explode with tremendous force.
His body is a creature of power, made of power.
The creature, which shouldn’t exist on Earth, tilted its head.
“Did you say please?”
“That’s the most I can say to you right now.”
“No, wait a minute. You…… to me? Asking a favor?”
“Yes. Do you want me to add the word ‘please’? I’ll do it if you want.”
After saying that, I felt a pang inside. Artshever’s expression suddenly contorted like a demon’s.
“You shouldn’t have said that.”
“What……?”
I didn’t say anything. He was saying it sincerely, and he was incredibly angry.
“You, of all people, shouldn’t ask me for a favor! You don’t even know that……!”
“Al, what are you trying to do now?”
Aila’s urgent voice could be heard.
It was because Artshever slowly raised his finger and pointed at me. He pointed directly at my heart and said with a terrifyingly angry face,
“To ask me for a favor…… Do you lack that much confidence in your own power? I’m disappointed! What have you been doing all this time?!”
“What are you trying to say?”
“To be honest, I had expectations. For more than two and a half years! I waited with a fluttering heart, watching you prepare yourself! But the result is that you’ve become even weaker than before? Asking for a favor? You said you were even willing to say please? You have no awareness of yourself at all!”
He furiously pointed at me, scolding me. Although I wasn’t feeling very good, I endured it silently.
He’s right. To go so far as to ask my nemesis for a favor, it’s quite pathetic. But Aila and Levidian were far more important to me. Lowering my head to Artshever was nothing compared to that.
It’s natural to ignore my nemesis when I have them, who are severely injured, in front of me.
Artshever was angry.
Why on earth is he angry?
Because I asked for a favor?
“I’m disappointed. I can’t understand! Are those two that important to you? Ha! I guess so! Fine! If they’re that important, watch them yourself!”
Snap!
Artshever snapped his fingers.
At that moment, I felt my heart shrivel.
“Cough!”
A sensation of my chest tightening inwards. The pain felt deep within my body led me to a feeling of madness.
It’s shaking.
Something inside my heart is shaking, trying to burst out.
“I’ll make sure you can never say that to me again! Now, open your eyes!”
“Al! You……! What are you trying to do!”
“What am I trying to do? There’s only one thing! To wake Sir Arisein up, I needed something stronger than what put him to sleep. Like my blood, for example! Hahaha! Aila, blood is strong, but you can’t defeat me! Haha! Hahaha!”
Artshever started laughing madly.
I clutched my chest and knelt down, gasping for breath.
My chest…… it hurts so much. It feels like it’s going to shrivel up and crush.
But why is it……? Beating like it’s going to explode?
Thump! Thump! Thump!
My heart beats wildly. Hot blood rampages throughout my body. Without even knowing the cause, Artshever’s maniacal laughter echoed in my ears.
My heart continued to beat wildly, as if it were being squeezed.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Sigh……
What on earth am I doing right now?
Leave a Reply