I reached the limits of my rage and shouted. My eyes were wide open. I couldnât accept reality. An incredible reality that made the veins on my temples bulge.
âWhy?â
It was supposed to be an easy job. I was so confident that my illusions would never lose to anyone. It had always been like that, and it should continue to be. And yetâŠ
I controlled not only sight, but even sound, through my illusions. I created a situation in which the opponentâs eyes and ears couldnât function properly. A situation where I was at an absolute advantage. Or at leastâŠthatâs how it was supposed to be.
âWhyâŠ.!?â
So why�
âWhy am I the one in a pinch hereâŠ..!?!?!â
đ
Idies Farizard, the âHeroâ called the âGame of Illusionsâ, howled and glared at me. In terms of wounds, I had more than she did. However, mine were all superficial. My years of experience granted me exceptional evasion abilities.
The illusions were tricking my sight and hearing, but physical sensations couldnât be faked. The instant Idies attacked and I felt pain, I evaded with incredible speed. My swordsmanâs instincts contributed too.
Using these abilities, I bared my fangs at her. After all, not even illusions could be used without risk forever.
Even the dreadlocks man, who could survive in that hellish world, could only use them continuously for two hours at most, as he had said while laughing.
If my opponent planned to continue using illusions, Iâd humor her as long as it took. The moment her energy ran out, her head would fly off too.
The woman noticed that I was in no rush to defeat her and probably understood my train of thought. Idies began to realize that she was being cornered little by little.
Because of my passive stance, I had to choose whether to dodge or parry Idiesâ sword. After doing so, I swung my sword where I predicted she would be, thus executing my counterattack. Of course, it was just a prediction and wouldnât be definite, but my precision was not to be underestimated.
âDieee!! Disappear from my sight already!!â
No matter how many times she tried to kill me, I kept dodging her illusions as if I could see through them, so Idies started feeling fear.
âHey now, your mask is peeling off, womanâ
Rough, wild slashes. Her initial confidence was fading fast. I kept the damage she inflicted to a minimum and laughed.
The strong never show their weaknesses. My mentor always laughed, even as he died. My other acquaintances were the same. Even if they lost an arm, they still laughed. Even with a hole in their stomach, they laughed, like they couldnât do anything else.
Because they knew that making the opponent think that they had something unknown, something unfathomable, was the key to victory. Because they knew they could at least make them pay.
ââŠ.are you crazy or somethingâŠ!?â
Humans retrieve 80% of the information they possess through sight. In a state where that information is lost and sound is lost as wellâŠwhere approaching footsteps can be heard from all around and no useful information could be obtained, I laughed.
I cackled, thoroughly amused. What would you call someone like that, if not crazy? I understood why Idies would say something like that.
đ
A simple task, to kill the fake âHeroâ prince. Or so she was told.
Whatâs fake about this guyâŠ!? Heâs stronger than your average HeroâŠ!!
It was her first time meeting a person that, despite being unable to use sight and sound, kept the damage they suffered to a minimum and she couldnât kill no matter how much she tried.
Idies swung her broadsword again, promising to herself that, if she could go back in one piece, sheâd cut in two the arrogant man who gave her the task.
The ability to use illusions was a large advantage, but it naturally also had its demerits. That was the reason why she wielded a broadsword. Since illusions used a large amount of her resources, she couldnât use magic at all. Thus her only option was to use her sword.
đ
âCrazy, you say?â
I donât know what meaning it holds for her, but for me itâs nothing but a compliment. That word is what I set as my goal to survive, after all.
âHaha.â
My behavior was all a ruse, though. A facade of lies I put up in order to survive. In that world, I was completely normal, until the very end. Yet she described me as crazy.
How naiveâŠwas what I honestly thought.
âShit, shit, shit, shiiiit!!!â
âYouâre quite desperate all of a sudden, can I take it as a sign that you wonât be able to make illusions anymore soon?â
I twisted my lips in a grin and cocked my head.
âSo that was your planâŠâ
âUnfortunately for you, I am sort of familiar with illusion users. He used to laugh and say that they donât last long.â
Not even 30 minutes had passed yet. The dreadlocks man wouldnât show that his illusions were going to disappear, not even after two hours passed.
ââŠ.hey, prince, why donât we make a deal?â
A voice like a purring cat, eager to curry my favor. Still, it was warped by a gripping fear. Idies looked at the cage of swords I created as soon as I realized that my hearing wouldnât have helped me in battle.
Since I realized that there was a possibility she could disappear without me noticing, I created a cage of swords around us with my âSpadaâ, in order to prevent her from going to attack Feli or the other soldiers.
A dome of shadow swords encased us, clearly showing that there was no way of escape.
Idies tried attacking the sword cage, only to suffer a rather deep wound in return, so she knew she couldnât run.
âA deal?â
ââŠyes, a deal. Iâm not going to attack you anymore. Iâll leave that elf alone and Iâll leave Beredhia too. I can even start serving Diestburg! Yes, I would gladly serve a prince like you!! Soââ
I could tell where she was going. So I interrupted her in a dry tone.
âSo I should spare you?âŠâ
My reply clearly showed my irritation.
ââŠI donât know what misunderstanding got into your head, but once you cross swords, you fight until either you or your opponent dies. I had no intention of letting you go from the start, but whereâs the proof that you arenât lying? There is only one way for you to survive. You just need to kill me. Simple, isnât it?â
âYou damn bratâŠ!!â
Idies clenched her teeth in anger, cracking an otherwise healthy tooth.
ââŠas you wish, thenâŠIâm going to kill you with my trump cardâŠ.â
The atmosphere changed. Her words sounded like a bluff at first, but the change in her aura testified they werenât. She probably made her resolve, or was going to attempt something fairly risky. I couldnât tell which it was, but there was one thing I knew.
âWeâre finally even.â
Because of her fighting style used illusions, Idies probably always fought with the minimum risk of dying. But now, she was cornered.
I smiled an empty smile. When I stopped hesitating before swinging my sword and killing, I turned into a beast. I remember how it felt when swinging the sword was what made me feel alive.
âRegret and die!! Weep and die!! Drown to your death!!â
Idies screamed hysterically, as if she lost herself. Even so, her lips were curved in an evil grin, reminiscent of a witch.
She cackled. I did so too. This is what a duel to the death is.
âRememberâ-!â
Idies howled. Something approached. If it didnât pose any risks to her, she would have used it before pleading for her life. Yet, she didnât. If possibleâ
âHere it comes.â
âââPhantoms!â
The next instantâŠ
ââŠâŠ..â
I was speechless. My five senses returned to normal. All tricks and deceptions caused by illusions completely disappeared. There was no mistake.
My âSpadaâ started rattling. Telling me to open my eyes, to look in front of me. I could feel a nostalgic smell, a nostalgic atmosphere, and nostalgic sensations.
ââŠâŠ.â
I slowly open my eyes. As I do, the thought of Idies Farizard slipped away from my mind. The shock I felt was so great that I forgot about everything that happened until just seconds ago.
I look dazed at impossible scenery. I tried to say something, but no words would come out.
I was completely still.
ââŠâŠa.â
Various emotions erupted within me, like water through a dam. I was not one to speak with much emotion, but this time my words were filled with affection, quite unlike the usual Fay Hanse Diestburg.
My eyes couldnât be deceiving me. White hair, so common in that world. Proudly grown until the waist and tied.
The words I heard so often at the end of the day. His words, filled with kindness, reverberated in my head.
I could never forget it. The person I am today was formed thanks to having met him. He was my everything. The person I sought so much was there before me. Right next to me.