Ch.120Victory Conditions (3)

# Victory Condition (3)

The scene of the world cracking deeply etched into Esmeralda’s mind.

The mental image left by Shiva constantly urged Esmeralda forward.

However, it was impossible to understand its principles just from seeing it once.

Even Shiva herself didn’t know why she had accomplished what she did.

It was done purely by instinct.

Whoosh!

Esmeralda swung her sword first. She was beginning training she had already repeated dozens, hundreds of times.

The fully regenerated holy sword scattered faint metallic light as it extended.

After repeating this several times, Esmeralda gripped the sword with both hands.

Whoosh!

This time, she enveloped it with sword energy.

Her mana, resonating with the holy sword, scattered brilliant golden light.

This was the level she had reached now.

The state of pouring all the mana she could control to cover the sword.

‘This wasn’t enough.’

When she encountered Second, she was in this state. Yes, she had been maintaining the best condition she could.

Despite that, the holy sword in her hand had been shattered.

That’s why she needed training.

It wasn’t something that could be handled with improvisation or joint attacks.

Her individual capability was too low.

She had become too arrogant after successfully driving back Legion Commander Twelve.

She thought that because she had chased away Legion Commander Five, she could do the same to others.

After overwhelming Third, she underestimated the Legion Commanders except for the Demon King.

This was the price. In a situation where it wouldn’t have been strange if she had died, Esmeralda survived.

Her companion had helped her and paid the price by being bedridden.

‘I can’t let that happen again.’

The scene recorded in Esmeralda’s mind. The strike that Shiva showed her that transcended the world.

But Esmeralda knew.

Craving that now was like trying to learn how to fly before learning how to walk.

Still, it had meaning.

‘Why do I need to break the world? Why are they considered different even though they exist in the same world?’

Although Esmeralda focused on swordsmanship, she also had knowledge of magic. Wasn’t she the one who had hidden multiple means in preparation for her unpredictable companions?

‘Magic is a phenomenon that interferes with the world using mana.’

The ability to interfere with specific points, directions, speeds, and phenomena.

Magic is temporarily changing part of the rules of the world itself.

And Esmeralda knew a little about this principle.

‘This method must be right.’

Esmeralda swung her sword enveloped in sword energy a few times, then calmly took a middle stance and concentrated.

Like casting magic.

She systematically moved the mana fluctuating around the holy sword to interfere with it.

The mana that had been flickering like flames gradually seeped into the holy sword, making it glow softly as if mana was flowing from within the sword itself.

Not wrapping the outside, but making it flow from within.

“Sword hardening.”

Esmeralda had learned how to walk.

Preparation for flying.

She was still far from reaching the level she was aiming for.

It was too early to be satisfied, so she didn’t get excited and began to slowly check her newly reached state.

She treated it as if it were nothing, but…

“The hero… A monster is a monster indeed. Creating sword hardening so easily and showing no excitement about it?”

To Shiva, who was watching from afar, it was astonishing.

Setting aside talent, her mindset was extraordinary.

Of course…

‘Damn, I’m awesome.’

Esmeralda was secretly proud of herself.

***

Having achieved her goal, Esmeralda immediately went to check on Tina.

The original purpose of this journey was Tina’s treatment. Her training was merely a secondary objective.

First, she needed to confirm Tina’s condition.

When Esmeralda visited the hospital room where Tina was staying, she found an empty bed and La•Pa sitting by the window, looking into the distance.

“…Where’s Tina?”

“She left. Said there’s no use raising a daughter, didn’t even ask how I was doing, and went off to see a man.”

“Well, goodbye then.”

Esmeralda couldn’t care less about La•Pa’s pitiful appearance. What mattered to her was that her friend, who had collapsed, had finally gotten up. Since she had survived thanks to Tina, Esmeralda wanted to thank her again.

After asking around for where Lug and her companions were…

Esmeralda could see:

“S-so we can get married again…”

“But Tanha has already lost her purity mentally. And I do not marry non-virgins who have lost their purity.”

“W-wait a minute… You’re the one who took my purity, aren’t you…?”

“There can be no exceptions to the rules.”

“Huh…?”

Even Eirene Saintess and Millia Asrin, who seemed like they would agree to anything, looked shocked.

Yes, setting aside Tina’s unusual behavior for now.

And putting aside the situation where Lug supposedly took Tina’s purity…

Even temporarily ignoring Lug’s garbage-like statement that he wouldn’t take responsibility for Tina…

“No, please! Darling! Don’t abandon me!”

Seeing Tina clinging to such garbage, Esmeralda felt dizzy and collapsed.

“Ugh…”

It was the moment when she completely collapsed mentally.

***

Even Eirene and Millia, who were completely infatuated, were shocked by his statement. Esmeralda, who had just returned and was about to smile at Tina, collapsed while clutching her head.

“Now, everyone please calm down.”

And the person who caused this disaster was surprisingly calm.

The reason was simple. He had spoken with good intentions.

“Tanha, how could I abandon you when you love me so much?”

“T-then marriage…”

“But we’ve already parted once. And too much time has passed, the situation has changed.”

“Tanha doesn’t care about that! Just marry me!”

Lug embraced Tanha, who was clinging to him, and patted her.

It was true that his heart hadn’t left her.

“Let’s start anew. I’ve changed too much, and you don’t know the current me.”

Lug had changed.

Just the fact that he was now swayed by the seven emotions and six desires showed that.

But Lug didn’t think he needed to shake them off or escape from them. It was also part of who he was, and how to lead it was his responsibility.

“Let’s start over.”

“…Start over?”

“Yes, start over.”

Tanha was bound to her past self. As long as her heart was tied to the past, he couldn’t guarantee that their relationship would work out well going forward.

She liked who he was in the past, and after living through so many years, he had become too distant from his past self.

So, start over.

“Let’s renew our hearts.”

Let Tanha’s heart remain in the past.

And build a new relationship.

Only then could they be happy even if they got married.

His past self had let them go too easily.

And his past lovers didn’t hold onto him either.

Now he wanted to change. No, he needed to change.

“Let’s build a new relationship with a fresh heart. It’s not too late to form a bond after you see what kind of person I am now.”

“…”

Tanha was certain.

No matter how much he had changed, she would still love him.

But she could also understand what he was saying. It had been too many years. It wouldn’t be strange if Lug had forgotten her.

So it was right for the two of them to build their relationship from the beginning again.

“What’s that supposed to mean.”

Tanha laughed hollowly after understanding the true meaning of Lug’s words.

She had thought he might have gone crazy like some unicorn, but that wasn’t it.

“So even if I’m not a virgin, if I love you, you’ll marry me?”

Tanha wanted to release her overflowing emotions in that direction.

Yes, she wanted to make love. After all, this was the person she had longed for until she was on the verge of death. She wanted to embrace him, kiss him, and make love to him right away.

“That’s not it.”

“…It’s not?”

But Lug was firm.

Tanha, who was about to embrace Lug, stopped momentarily at his resolute appearance.

“While we can renew our hearts, we cannot renew our bodies.”

“So if I make love with you, we can’t get married?”

“The first night is a meaningful event and ceremony. So shouldn’t marriage come first?”

“Phew…”

Tanha pouted in disappointment. Then there wasn’t much they could do before marriage.

Her area of expertise.

Feeling that she couldn’t utilize it, Tanha felt regret.

But Tanha understood.

“Well, I suppose it would be boring to start like that. Stimulation is more thrilling when you gradually increase the level, so you can enjoy it longer.”

After all, she too was an incarnation born from the seven emotions and six desires.

So slowly, step by step, they would build their relationship.

“Then let’s start anew from now.”

Tanha stood on her tiptoes and gave Lug a light kiss.