episode_0009

I raised my head and saw the person who had trampled on my hand.

Despite the situation, I was mesmerized by their appearance.

Short hair as white as snow.

Eyes of deep green with a jewel-like gleam.

Even with the intense vitality in those eyes, I found myself admiring them as if beholding a magnificent piece of art.

Then my perspective shifted once again.

The jaw tensed, and for a moment, stars twinkled.

A bitter taste spread in my mouth.

“K-Krisha!”

Linde shouted.

He said he spoke with a proxy, but was it a lie?

Or perhaps even Rebart was unaware…

Regardless, it wasn’t important in the current situation.

“Are you the famous Dragon Slayer?”

I stroked my kicked chin and stood up.

“No.”

Krisha replied.

Though her gaze was fierce, her voice felt sharp like a blade.

“Oh, right. Linde was the one who stopped breathing…”

I turned my eyes to Linde.

The fallen Linde staggered to his feet in front of Krisha.

“K-Krisha! Wait a moment!”

“Move.”

However, Krisha pushed Linde aside.

In the midst of this, the way Linde admired her and his cautious movements hinted at their relationship.

“I-I didn’t do anything wrong! I swear!”

Even though Linde was pushed away, he clung back to Krisha.

“Then what was that just now?”

Undoubtedly, what Krisha referred to was the magic Linde had cast.

Although it failed and the magical energy soared into the sky, I realized it must have been visible throughout the entire labyrinthine city.

That means Marco and the guards are probably on their way.

“W-Well…”

“And what’s with the injury on your face?”

“T-That’s… um…”

Linde’s gaze and hands fumbled.

His desperate attempts at explanation were quite endearing.

“I should have found you sooner.”

“N-No, I’m going to live with… with Rashwood!”

“Rashwood…?”

“Pleasure to meet you. I am Rashwood.”

I shook Krisha’s hand.

“…Eboni tribe.”

Only now did she realize I was from the Eboni tribe.

She didn’t even recognize me when she kicked me; how oblivious can one be?

“Could it be…”

Krisha muttered.

“…Linde.”

“Y-Yes…?”

“Did nothing happen between you and that man?”

“N-No, really!”

“Linde… You often say foolish things.”

“Huh?”

“You need to expand the Eboni tribe…”

Agreed.

Truly foolish words.

“Could it be… you didn’t… share a bed with that man, did you…?”

“W-Well…”

Linde bowed his head, his face turning red.

Such a reaction, akin to a pure maiden.

No, initially, he was indeed a virgin.

“!!!”

Krisha slowly turned her head towards me.

A strange fervor emanated from her widened green eyes.

“This… scum…”

Krisha drew her sword from her waist.

Even in this situation, the sword, like Krisha herself, was a beautiful object that captivated people’s gazes.

Everything about it was as white as snow.

From the hilt to the guard, the blade was so unusually pale that it seemed crafted from marble.

Except for one thing.

A single gem embedded in its center.

A rough, blood-red gem.

That was undoubtedly… a Dragon Heart.

A rare treasure that emerges when a dragon’s heart is incinerated.

It outshines even the finest magical stones.

As it began to glow, it seemed to extend over the white blade like veins pulsating.

The aura emanating from Krisha made the skin tingle.

To exude such pressure, a knight like her, I’ve only seen two in over five hundred years.

Moreover, it’s the first time she has directed that aura towards me.

“S-Stop!”

Linde rushed in front of me, arms wide open.

Being protected by Linde, unbelievable.

Krisha stood facing the aura he emitted, standing firm.

“Move!!”

“N-No way!”

“What… What did you do to Linde?!”

Krisha shouted at me.

“Well, I didn’t do anything in particular…”

I had done too much.

“R-run away… Quickly…!”

Linde said.

“Krisha is incredibly strong! If you don’t run, y-you’ll die!”

“It seems so. Well then, excuse me for a moment.”

Without looking back, I ran off.

“Stop right there!!”

From behind, I could hear Krisha’s shout and the sound of something colliding.

But I never turned back.

***

In the chaotic dining room of Raswood Manor, two women faced each other.

“Why are you protecting that jerk?!”

Krisha yelled.

“He just abandoned you a moment ago!!”

“Oh, I know! I told you to run away…!”

Linde said.

“After all you’ve been through with that man, why?!”

“Th-that’s not what it seems like…”

“You can’t trust anyone just because they’re your kind! Please come to your senses! Stop this nonsense about finding your own kind; I’ve told you countless times to stop…!”

“I-I’ve decided to stop now…”

“What?”

“I’m going to stop searching for my kind from now on.”

“Linde…!”

A glimmer of hope appeared on Krisha’s face.

“Instead… I’ve decided to live with Raswood from now on. In this city…”

“…?”

However, her hope was shattered by the words that followed.

“Why… Why would you do that?”

“Well, Mr. Raswood and I have…”

“I… I only needed Linde…!”

Tears rolled down Krisha’s cheeks.

Seeing her tears, Linde was speechless.

“Is that man more important to me than you…? Just because he’s our kind?!”

“Oh, no. It’s not like that…!”

“Were all the times we spent together meaningless?!”

Krisha’s words pierced Linde’s heart like a dagger.

The moments they had shared flashed through Linde’s mind.

“If that’s really how you feel… even if I have to force you, I’ll take you away! I won’t let someone like him take you away!”

Krisha ran towards Linde.

Linde closed her eyes tightly and huddled up.

She could run away, but she didn’t want Krisha to see her in that state.

“…”

But nothing happened.

Linde opened her tightly shut eyes and cautiously looked up.

Krisha’s holy sword was locked against a black blade as they struggled to push each other away.

“You…!”

Krisha called out with all her hatred.

“Excessive attachment leads to hatred.”

Raswood, clad head to toe in armor, spoke.

***

“Shall we see some Dragon Slayer skills?!”

I held my sword diagonally against hers.

The black blade slid like a snake towards Krisha’s neck.

I had engaged in swordsmanship duels with knights before.

Some were so remarkable that they made history…!

“Tch.”

Krisha deflected my sword as she raised her white blade to strike and then stepped back.

I pulled a bead the size of a thumb from my waist and threw it at Krisha.

Krisha tried to bat the bead away with the side of her sword, but it didn’t fly off; instead, it exploded in place.

Gray smoke powder inside the bead billowed out, enveloping Krisha.

“Poison… Cough, cough!? Ugh!”

Krisha coughed heavily, her eyes reddened and tears streamed down.

What I had just thrown was a tiny ceramic vessel finely ground with pepper.

Sending feeble poison against a knight.

I had heard of a knight who survived flipping Hydra venom directly onto himself.

Seizing the moment of Krisha’s confusion, I leaped forward.

Krisha reflexively raised her sword to block me, but with just a slight twist of my body, I continued to advance.

Her white blade clashed against my armor but failed to penetrate, sliding off to the side.

That sword is no ordinary longsword, that much is clear at a glance.

But my armor is also a high-quality piece enchanted with powerful magic.

It’s not something you’d easily be fooled by.

“Back off!”

In an instant, Krisha unleashed her holy power.

The sacred energy unique to paladins and priests exerted a force pushing me away.

“Kuk…!”

While unexpected, my body remembered how to respond.

I put strength into my metal boots, stepping on her foot and resisting.

A divine explosion.

A technique used by some paladins for non-lethal combat, but I never expected such impact.

Moreover, the sensation through my foot hinted at a metal plate beneath her shoe… No, it felt like her foot itself was as solid as metal?

Is she enveloping herself in holy power like armor?

But this side has real armor!

“Ha!”

I struck Krisha’s head with the elbow part of my armor.

Her bare head clashed with the enchanted metal armor of my elbow.

Armor can serve as a weapon on its own…

It can, but…

Despite the collision between flesh and metal, instead of bones breaking or blood spattering, it sounded more like striking a club against a rock.

“…Guh.”

Krisha slowly turned her head towards me.

Her eyes, inflamed due to adrenaline, looked particularly fierce and savage.

But what was that sound just now?

She didn’t clad herself in a suit of sacred armor; did she turn her body into armor using holy power?!

Yet this seems like martial arts used by monks or fighters…?

No, would a paladin use martial arts…?

“Haah!”

Krisha swung her sword with determination.

The trajectory of the sword seemed simple.

Just a slight sidestep… Wait a moment!?

Feeling a chilling presence, I quickly retreated.

Where her sword passed, crimson traces lingered like paint before vanishing.

“Phew… Haah…”

What was that just now?

Certainly not a paladin’s technique…

Confusing.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied my mind.

Calm and composed.

One side is bare-handed, the other clad in enchanted armor.

Yet there’s no overwhelming sense of victory.

Glancing at the side of the armor where I deflected her sword earlier, I noticed an unusual scratch.

If that red strike I saw earlier is any indication, avoiding it seems impossible…

I’ve encountered strong paladins before, but such a technique is new.

Perhaps a skill learned outside specific orders.

Or a unique technique from the dragon heart-forged sword?

Truly living up to the reputation of a dragon slayer.

Despite the difference in armament, this won’t be easy.

“I will… kill you…!”

Light began to emanate from Krisha’s eyes.

Is it a divine blessing enhancing herself, a holy power?

Could it be she fought without using enhanced holy techniques until now?!

Wait, no.

It’s not that… Something about her gaze seems different, almost like…

Not human, but dragon-like…

Strange flames started flickering from the dragon heart embedded in her sword.

The next strike is perilous.

A strong premonition washed over me.

“Everyone, stop!”

And the shout of Captain Marco echoed.