Chapter 21 – The Village of Roholon (4)

The duel between Luchi and me never happened.

Rubia was very angry… no, extremely angry. There was no way we could continue after that. Fortunately… no, unfortunately! I could have won! I wasn’t scared at all!

“Heh, you see… men are usually—”

“What did you say?”

“Ahem! N-nothing! Haha…!”

Heinzel sheepishly rubbed his bald head.

Meanwhile, Luchi was barely hanging on, practically half-dead.

His stomach… it was sliced open! I could see his ribs poking out a little!

“This is ridiculous. If Noah had been the one fighting, were you planning to do the same to her? Huh?” Rubia fumed, her voice icy.

“W-well, if the kid had fought, it wouldn’t have been like this—”

“If Noah had fought… huff… I’d have gone easier on her, for sure…” Luchi groaned, still clutching his wound.

There’s no need to go easy… I could have won!

…probably?

Feeling awkward, I scurried over to Rubia’s side and started massaging her shoulders.

“A-Aileen… you must be tired… right?”

“Noah. You’re the same. You’re really going to fight these lunatics in a duel? And look at Luchi! He’s practically dying here! What, you think real men don’t care about stuff like this? That you can just slap on some potions and be fine? Do you think that makes any sense?!”

“Heh…”

But… Luchi agreed with that too…

“Heh, heh, heh, what… forget it. Just go away.”

Rubia shrugged my hands off her shoulders and continued healing Luchi.

“Oh, and by the way, these guys already know I’m a priestess. So, you can call me Rubia when there’s no one else around.”

“Oh… o-okay?”

Wait… I wasn’t the first to know?

“You mean… I wasn’t the first?”

“Well, it just sort of… happened that way.”

“Oh… I see…”

I felt strangely disappointed.

I gave Rubia my first, after all…

“Well, okay then… got it…”

I shuffled off to a corner and crouched down.

Might as well go over the duel in my head…

I recalled the fight between Heinzel and Luchi, bringing back the details I had sensed through my perception.

I calculated the differences between Luchi and me.

I was stronger.

But slower.

Maybe that’s why Luchi figured out my secret faster than I did…?

“No, focus…” I muttered.

In terms of skill, I wasn’t outmatched.

But I lacked experience in real battles.

If the duel dragged on, I’d be at a disadvantage. I had to end it quickly.

I had more reach with my greatsword, but my body was much shorter.

Our strides were different, so our pacing would be too.

And Luchi had no hesitation when it came to cutting down people.

Ultimately, I’d lose in terms of momentum.

If I had been more tenacious, I could’ve discovered the key to victory sooner…

“Argh… no, focus!”

I concentrated again, drawing different scenarios based on my calculations.

The first one: I lost.

The second one: I lost.

Third: I lost again.

Fourth: another loss.

I kept losing.

And losing.

Again and again.

And again.

But on the 38th attempt, my sword touched Luchi.

It wasn’t a fatal strike.

But I suffered a fatal injury in return.

I memorized that pattern and continued refining it.

By the 29th simulation, I managed to inflict a deep wound on Luchi.

But it wasn’t enough.

I kept going.

Again.

And again.

Finally, after countless simulations, I found a single path to victory.

Out of hundreds of possibilities, just one.

It was utterly absurd.

A gamble with ridiculously slim odds.

But if I pulled it off…

Rubia would probably scold me pretty badly…

Still, if I wanted to prove the greatness of the greatsword, I didn’t have a choice…

I sighed quietly to myself when a large shadow loomed over me.

“Kid.”

It was Heinzel.

“Yes?”

“Did you watch the duel earlier?”

I nodded.

“What do you think went wrong at the end?”

The end…

Let’s see…

“If… if you had swung from the right instead of the left… things might have turned out differently. Luchi’s blind spot is on the right, isn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

Heinzel stroked his chin thoughtfully, nodding.

“But… wouldn’t that lack style? I mean, I don’t have any weaknesses. Exploiting Luchi’s feels… well, cowardly.”

“Do you think you could’ve won if you exploited his weakness?”

“Well, maybe… it would’ve been easier than what happened.”

I replayed the duel in my mind.

“Uh… no. Heinzel, it’s more than that. Your fighting style doesn’t match up well with Luchi’s. Because—”

I started explaining the weaknesses and strengths of both Heinzel and Luchi.

This is advice from a former PVP rank 2! Take notes! Write it down if you can’t remember!

To summarize briefly…

“Luchi is really strong in one-on-one combat… so he’s your perfect counter. But Heinzel, you’re great at fighting groups of monsters, right?”

“Hmm. That’s true.”

“Yes. That’s it.”

Luchi never really trained to handle multiple enemies.

His swordsmanship evolved with a single goal in mind: defeating Carpen.

That’s why he developed a style that focuses on evasion, counters, and whittling down his opponent’s stamina.

On the other hand, Heinzel was all about brute force, smashing through monsters with his halberd.

“So… I think… a halberd is way better than a one-handed sword.”

If you’ve got two hands, why waste one holding a shield or nothing at all?

I just don’t get it.

And Luchi doesn’t even use a shield!

It’s so inefficient!

And most importantly, there’s no satisfaction in it!

“Kahahaha! Is that so? You’ve got a good eye, kid! Kahaha!”

Heinzel laughed heartily, slapping my back hard enough to send my head bobbing back and forth.

“Ugh…! S-stop hitting me!”

I flailed, barely managing to block Heinzel’s arm.

God, this brute…!

“Kid!”

“Yes…?”

Heinzel pointed a thick finger at Luchi.

“That scrawny, one-eyed guy is too beaten up to spar. So how about I be your opponent instead?”

“No thanks.”

“W-what? Why not…?”

I pointed my finger at Luchi.

“If I end up like him, what then…? I don’t want to be cut in half… so no, thanks.”

“O-oh… I… see. Well, if you don’t want to, I guess there’s nothing I can do…”

Heinzel’s voice wavered slightly.

Wait.

Is he… is he going to cry?

“Sniff… well, I guess I’ll… just head back to the inn…”

As Heinzel shuffled away, his shoulders trembling a little, I realized I couldn’t just leave him like that.

Weirdly, I felt a tiny bit of sympathy for him.

“A-hey, Heinzel…!”

“What is it?”

He didn’t turn around.

“Uh… what about an arm-wrestling match instead?”

“Arm wrestling?”

Heinzel finally turned back to face me.

“Yeah… arm wrestling! We won’t get hurt, and it’s fun, right?”

“Forget it… you don’t have to force yourself…”

He sounded so dejected as he turned away again.

Wow. What a wimp.

I couldn’t just let him go, though, so I ran after him.

“H-Heinzel…! Let’s make a bet! How about that?”

“What kind of bet?”

“If you win, I’ll buy you a stone-grilled steak. But if I win… you buy me some jelly.”

Heinzel stopped in his tracks.

“A bet, huh… but do you really think a kid like you can beat me?”

He flexed his arm, showing off a bicep the size of my head.

Ugh… I can’t lose.

I’ll show him my max strength…!

I flexed my own arm, showing off my… soft, squishy bicep.

“Pfft—! Kahahahaha!”

Heinzel burst into laughter, his booming voice echoing across the field.

“W-what…?”

I touched my arm.

It was soft and squishy.

Well… okay, maybe I don’t look strong…

But I am strong!

“I’ll win… and when I do, you’re buying me a month’s worth of jelly.”

“Pfft, hah! Fine! If you win, I’ll buy you every jelly they’ve got in that shop!”

“Gasp…!”

I remembered the shop, with mountains of jelly stacked high.

With that much, I could probably bathe in it…!

“B-but… if I lose, I’ll just buy you one portion, okay?”

“Let’s make it two.”

Two portions…? That’s 60 silver…!

My hand was already trembling.

“F-fine! But to be fair… Rubia has to be the judge!”

I’ll win.

I have to win…!

Even if I have to bribe Rubia a little.

We’re close friends who share a secret, after all.

She’ll be on my side… right?

“Sounds good! Let’s go!”

Heinzel laughed heartily and ran off toward Rubia and Luchi.

I followed behind him as fast as I could.

“R-Rubia…!”

“Yes?”

Luchi’s healing seemed nearly finished, as there was no longer any divine energy flowing from Rubia.

“I’m going to arm-wrestle this guy… can you be the judge?”

“Huh! That’s how it is! We’re counting on you!”

“Hah… seriously? You really want to arm-wrestle that?” Rubia said, eyeing the giant that was Heinzel.

“What? You’re saying that little thing can beat you?”

“Little thing…?!”

I glared at Luchi.

“Ahem. I mean… Heinzel’s way stronger, just from looking at him. You sure about this, Noah?”

“I’m definitely stronger…”

I heard a stifled laugh behind me.

Only Rubia was behind me…

“Rubia…? Did… did you just laugh at me?”

“N-no? When would I ever…?” Rubia said, her shoulders shaking as she tried to stifle more laughter.

“I… I see how it is. Fine! I don’t need you! And we’re not sharing a room tonight!”

I don’t need her.

I’ll just beat Heinzel fair and square.

I turned my head away from her dramatically.

But just when I was sure she’d come running to apologize, Rubia dropped a bombshell.

“Noah, what are you talking about? You already ate all the jelly.”

Oh… right.

“Well, I’ll… I’ll just refund the portions I’ve eaten.”

“No.”

Rubia’s voice was firm.

“Ugh… fine. I… I hate you. You’re supposed to be my friend, but you don’t even support me…”

I muttered under my breath, but Rubia must’ve heard because she reached out to touch my arm.

I yanked it away.

“I don’t need your help.”

“Oh? And what if you get kidnapped?”

“I’ll just… let them take me.”

I was still scared, but… I decided to act tough anyway.

Now she’d definitely try to comfort me…

But instead, Rubia shrugged.

“Hmm, do what you want then.”

What…?

She didn’t even try to stop me.

“Anyway, I’ll be the judge, alright?”

Her cold, professional tone left me speechless.

“R-Rubia…?”

“Yes?”

“Well… I mean… um… never mind.”

“Alright.”

With that curt response, Rubia turned and began scouting out a spot for our arm-wrestling match, efficient as ever.

What a traitor…

She was so nice to me earlier, but now…!

Why is she acting like this?!

“Here’s a good spot. Come over here,” Rubia called out after finding a flat rock.

Despite her efficient, businesslike attitude, I still wanted to disagree.

“N-not really…”

“Haha! This spot looks great! Let’s go, kid!” Heinzel’s booming voice drowned out mine as he marched over to the rock.

Ugh. This is annoying.

I grumbled as I followed them to the rock.

Rubia had already neatly laid out a cloth on both ends of the rock.

She was so efficient it made me even angrier.

I was really mad at Rubia.

Really mad.

“Now, both of you, come over here. Are you going to use your right hands?”

“Yeah! Doesn’t matter to me!” Heinzel boomed.

“M-me too…”

Heinzel and I stood on opposite ends of the rock.

“Alright, go ahead and grab hands.”

I fit my hand on the rock, but for Heinzel… well, he had to kneel to even reach it properly.

He extended his massive arm toward me, and I matched his grip as best as I could.

“Consider this a handicap in your favor. Is that alright?” Rubia commented.

“Sure! Doesn’t bother me!” Heinzel replied.

I looked over and saw Heinzel’s arm stretched awkwardly, with his knees on the ground.

His height didn’t match the rock at all, and he ended up in this weird, uncomfortable position.

Ugh, and he still thinks he’ll win? Now I’m really pissed.

I’m not holding back.

Heinzel, you’re going down!

Your hand’s going to break, and I won’t even care!

“Don’t regret this…”

“Hahaha! Bring it on, kid!”

I gripped his hand tightly.

Well, it was more like I wrapped my hand around part of his, but still.

“I’ll count down.”

3.

2.

1.

The moment the count ended, I threw all my strength into pushing to the left.

Boom!

Heinzel’s hand smashed into the rock, shattering it beneath us.

The entire boulder we’d been using for support crumbled into pieces.

“Uh…?”

Heinzel’s dazed voice echoed around me.

“W-what… just happened?”

Rubia’s stunned voice followed shortly after.

My foul mood lifted.

“See? I won, right?”

Turning my back on them, I started walking away.

Oh, wait.

I turned back around to face them, trying my best to sound cool.

“Just buy me jelly for two weeks.”

“What…? Two weeks…?”

“I’ll only take half.”

Then I spun back around and continued walking.

Wow.

I was really cool just now.

But as I walked toward Luchi, I felt a prickling sensation at the back of my neck.

“Hmm…?”

Someone was watching me.

It wasn’t Rubia or Heinzel—they were talking to each other.

And it wasn’t Luchi, either—he was facing a different direction.

Then… who was it?

As soon as I expanded my senses, the gaze disappeared.

It was as if the person had teleported away, leaving behind only the faintest trace of magic.