The hole in the wall was filled up, and I stood up after staring blankly at the wall for a very short while. It was because I was distracted by Redenâs smile that I had just seen.
I saw him smile a lot at the banquet hall. He used to laugh out of courtesy when talking to other nobles. But why is my mind so confused. Indeed, it was the first time he had smiled at me like that, so I had no choice.
Is Reden going to treat me like a little sister now?
At my thoughts going to the mountain*, I shook my head and grabbed my sword. First of all, what we need to do right now is to give these two swords to idiots!
TL/N: Korean phrase for digressing from the main point.
One bag was moderately thick and long, but one bag was as big as my body. I wonder how light it can be.
It was the moment I turned around while contemplating whether to throw the sword or give it to Diwen at the moment Zion held on to the half-dragon.
A scene far from what I had imagined unfolded.
The two people who seemed to fight together were fighting against each other.
When Zion swung his sword at half-dragon, it narrowly passed by Diwen, who was nearby, and Diwen seemed to swing his fist at Zion, not at the goal or half dragon.
Are you saying that while I was discussing with Reden diligently and bringing the sword out, they didnât take it seriously and acted recklessly with that plague*?
TL/N: Referring to the half-dragon
âYou guys are not doing it right!â
Angry all at once, I shouted again. Then Diwen, who saw me, avoided the half-dragonâs attack and came this way.
âOooh, where did you get my sword? No, how can you lift it so lightlyâŠ.â
But before Diwen could reach me first, something quickly passed Diwen and charged towards me. It was none other than the half-dragon.
It seemed that its mad eyes were telling me that it would kill me at any moment. Of course, I was perplexed. Itâs because I didnât know that it would come to me, overtaking Zion and Diwen, who were ahead of me.
More than anything else, I believed in Zion who said he would not let the half-dragon approach me.
âDamn it!â
âAvoid it!â
The two shouted. Looking at Zion, the sword in Zionâs hand was broken in half like Diwenâs sword.
It was fine until just now, but looking at it like that, it seemed that half-dragon broke it right away and came to me.
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What to do? What should I do?
Zion and Diwen chased after it, but it seemed that half-dragon would reach me first.
What to do! I have two swords and thereâs nothing I can do!
-Why not? You can swing the sword.
Uh?
A strange voice came from somewhere. No, to be precise, it rang in my brain. As I was about to reflexively looked around, a voice scolded me.
â Where are you looking? Look ahead. Throw away the needlessly large greatsword and hold me straight.
âYou, What do you mean I hold youâŠâ
-First of all, dodge to the right!
The half-dragon, who had come a few steps away, swung its sword and I reflexively followed the voice and evaded to the right. The voice called again.
-Hurry and get rid of the sword!
âYes, yes!â
I donât know where the voice came from, but I immediately threw the greatsword to the floor and grabbed the other one like a lifeline. Then the voice praised.
-All right, good job. Hold me like that and stay still. Iâll take care of it now.
âSo what are youâŠ?â
-Just keep breathing.
I was out of my mind. All I could do was follow the voice that resonated in my brain like a parrot.
Soon after, the half-dragon straightened its staggering body and charged at me again. Then a miraculous thing happened.
The sword in my hand moved freely.
Kang, a metallic sound stabbed into my ears. My eardrums were killing me.
A crisp sound that is different from when you hear it from afar. How can one listen to this from such a close distance and still be fine?
I wondered about Zion and Diwen but the voice commanded me once again.
-Thatâs good. Youâre holding up well. Now, kick him with all your might!
âWhat?â
-Come on! Kick as hard as you can! Believe in your strength, come on!
What, what power do you want me to believe in?
The half-dragonâs hideous face could be seen beyond the swordâs contact. I frowned in disgust, but half-dragon spoke to me in a terrifying voice.
âThose four yearsâŠ.. Itâs funny how youâre struggling when youâre in his graspâŠ.â
âWhat?â
âAmong the people who went against his will, there is no one who lives a normal life. Four years, even if they seem fine now, they will surely die later!â
âWhat place,â
Suddenly, the half-dragon gripped the sword with only one hand and suddenly grabbed my hand with the other hand.
The horrible sensation of being covered in scales was terrifying. When I couldnât understand why it suddenly grabbed my hand, the black sword gradually changed to its original color.
As if water was receding, black energy dripped down from the end of the blade to the handle.
The black energy continued to burn, encroaching on the half-dragonâs hand. It was easy to spot because the skin with black scales was dyed blacker.
-Ah, itâs ruined. We need to hurry and get out of here!
A voice exclaimed urgently. I also agreed with that opinion.
It was because the black energy flowed through the half-dragonâs hand and went to the shoulder, then came down to the other shoulder and continued to move to the arm holding my hand.
As if it was moving and aiming for my hand.
It wasnât a situation where I could understand it at once, but I knew instinctively that I had to leave as soon as possible, just as the voice said. The moment I realized that, I kicked the half-dragon without even realizing it.
It was embarrassing that I had been hesitant about kicking until just now.
Then, without exaggeration in the slightest, a popping sound rang out, and the half-dragon almost flew over several meters.
Soon after, the sound of a bang came from colliding with a black wall.
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âWow, whatâs this?â
Diwenâs admiration came from beside me, who had been nearby for some time. I too, was a little amazed.
What is it really? Is this also the power of the voice?
The black scales disappeared as if evaporating from the half-dragonâs body, which was motionless as if it had died. I guessed at the sight.
I donât know what it is, but the half-dragon must be dead!
âThen wonât I become a dragon slayer?â
The excitement didnât last long.
Like Diwen, Zion, who I didnât know when he came, grabbed my hand. It was the hand holding the sword.
Oh, are you asking for a sword? I was trying to relax my hand holding the sword right away, but for some reason, Zion grabbed the back of my hand and the sword as if he were wrapping it together.
Then, before I could say anything, he swung his sword down.
âAaaarrgghhhhhâ!
There was a startling, eerie and terrible scream. I knew this voice. It was the voice of the half-dragon who had been yelling bullshit at me until now.
When I stared down foolishly, I could see Zionâs sword embedded in the half-dragonâs pommel.
Black energy burned and evaporated from the black jewel. The long sword also broke and disappeared like sand.
That black thing, isnât that the one that was aiming for my hand until now?
To my horror, the half-dragonâs sword was near my feet. If Zion hadnât stabbed it with his sword, I would have been unaware of it, stepping on it without even knowing what to do and being engulfed in the black energy.
âTh, thank youâŠâ
âNo, donât mind.â
âWhat just disappeared is the spirit of the dragon. Seeing that it evaporated, it looks like it was killed cleanly.â
Diwen spoke in a light tone, but his complexion was even worse than before. Sweat was pouring down like rain, and his lips were white.
Itâs completely different because the face that was worth seeing looked like death.
âBy the way, did you learn swordsmanship?â
âUh?â
Looking at Diwenâs pale face to the point of pity, I clicked my tongue inwardly, but Diwen asked subtly. Surprised as if I had done something bad, I just shook my head.
âN, noâŠ? It was luck just now.â
âIf itâs luck, you have talent. Looking at what you just kicked, you seem to have strength.â
âNo⊠I think thatâs luck, tooâŠâ
âThatâs luck?â
Diwen looked at me meaningfully and then trudged over to the place where the greatsword was strewn about.
At that time, the black wall slowly crumbled from the ceiling and evaporated as well. A sense of relief ran through my body.
âAh, itâs finally liberation.â
âAre you hurt?â
âMe? You look more serious than me.â
âI know, Iâm ashamed. The name is Hugo Knights, but I canât catch one half-dragonâŠ.â
âNo, it wasnât about skills.â
Above the crumbling wall, the coral-colored sky I had seen earlier looked beautiful. The night seemed to be coming, and it was turning dark blue in the distance.
I looked up at the sky blankly, contemplating what to say, and shrugged my shoulders.
âWell, all of you didnât fight with your own swords. Besides, you donât look well.â
â⊠âŠâ
âBy the way, this sword and that sword Reden brought me⊠âŠâ
As I spoke, I automatically shut my mouth. As the black wall disappeared, the things that came into view made me speechless.
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Whatâs that?
There was a huge number of people on the other side of the black wall, so our jaws dropped.
There were soldiers armed with armor, as well as people dressed in the clothes Reden often wore. They must have been wizards.
Among them, there were a few people wearing uniforms. All of them were big and had tough faces, so they must be the Hugo Knights.
Wow⊠I feel so pressured!
They were looking at us. Dozens⊠⊠. No, receiving the stares of close to hundreds of people, my body temperature grew hot from the tip of my toes to the tip of my head.
I tried to hide behind Zionâs back out of habit in embarrassment at not knowing where to turn, but I stopped when I realized that Zion was still covering the back of my hand.
He followed me, lowered his gaze, and removed his hand from my hand, startled to the point where it didnât suit him.
âI, Iâm sorry. I didnât catch it on purpose.â
âNo, wellâŠ. I understandâŠ.â
When I handed him the sword, answering roughly, someone intervened.
âWhat about the half-dragon?â
It was Reden.
âHello, Marquis. We eliminated the half-dragon safely.â
âI canât say hi. Your Majesty will send you a letter in the near future, so please respond this time.â
âWellâŠâ
âI was going to talk to you when you were alone, as Sir Fergus wanted, but I have to ask how things turned out.â
Reden continued with a serious face and an annoyed tone.