Ch.255Chapter 255: Confrontation (2)

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“Finally, we meet.”

After a long silence, the voice of the master of the Obsidian Palace spread like ripples through the great hall, breathing life back into the dark place.

Despite the ominous atmosphere that swallowed even the sparse light, the voice was remarkably gentle and soft without a hint of harshness.

“It’s a shame I can only observe like this, but it has its own charm.”

The voice carried an emotion that seemed out of place in this dark space.

Delight.

“I can’t approach directly since I don’t know how it would break things. Ahahahaha.”

Desire, the owner of that laughter and master of this space, appeared thoroughly amused.

Having been dormant for ages without any notable activity, and now finally awakening to resume her activities.

Was she laughing like that to savor the freedom she had been denied, observing places beyond physical sight with her abilities?

Adorator, who attended at her side, watched with half a mind seeking answers to questions that would remain unresolved.

And half with the selfish desire to gaze upon her master whom she hadn’t seen for so long.

“…”

She silently observed Desire seated on the throne.

Unlike her master, Adorator lacked the ability to perceive distant events beyond her sight.

But at least she could gauge what brought her master such joy by watching her expressions and tone.

What did Adorator’s eyes and ears perceive as she silently observed her master?

With obsidian-like black eyes that absorbed the faint surrounding light, sparkling.

“It’s a bit disappointing that only two have met when all three should be together for it to be proper.”

The sight of her master, Desire, resting her chin on her right hand while seated on the throne and muttering to herself was perplexing even to Adorator, who possessed the lofty intellect befitting a being with divinity.

The master she beheld with her eyes after so long was even more beautiful than when they first met and she swore eternal devotion—so beautiful that saying she had “ripened” would be an understatement.

This was, in a way, an inevitable conclusion.

Besides being told to wait as all would be revealed in due time, there was virtually no information to be gleaned from her master’s words.

It was clear from all her behavior since taking the throne that her master was evidently waiting for something.

“No, no, perhaps it’s better that only those two are together.”

For Adorator, who could not possibly identify what that “something” was, her master’s unusually expressive demeanor was simply unfamiliar.

“Guilt is guilt, but…”

After releasing her chin, Desire caressed the armrest of the throne, her voice taking on a peculiar quality that even Adorator, who prided herself on having served her master for a lifetime, had rarely heard.

Though she had to be extremely careful in her assessment.

Adorator detected, ever so faintly, what could only be described as “playfulness” in her master’s tone.

Yes, playfulness.

The great transcendent being who observed distant events beyond anyone’s sight as if looking at her own palm.

“Because the best environment has been created for suppressing such guilt and fully nurturing desire.”

Ahahahaha

As she finished speaking, Desire laughed loudly enough to fill the hall, her expression showing excitement for whatever was about to unfold in the place she was observing.

What could bring such joy to this great being who preserved divinity capable of shaking the very principles of this world?

“…”

Adorator continued to carefully watch her master, still striving to find answers to her unanswered questions.

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Hmm, what should I do now?

My dilemma deepened as I faced the mysterious woman who had refused my request to put my sister down, expressing her refusal in a voice so distorted that her original tone was unrecognizable.

After rejecting my proposal, I fully expected her to use force against me as she had done with those two.

“…”

But my concern grew as she simply turned her gaze toward me without taking any other action.

If she wasn’t going to use force, she should have quickly escaped to achieve her goal and shake off my grasp.

Yet she just stood there, merely looking at me.

If she were a fallen mage who had accepted the corrupt magical energy of demonic arts.

Or a demon born with impure energy, she would have shown hostility toward me immediately.

Since she didn’t, I could tell that despite the impure energy surrounding her, she wasn’t the type to run wild with power like mages or demons.

But that wasn’t entirely reassuring.

[The achievement emanating from that woman is admirable. Can you feel it? It’s remarkable.]

‘…At this distance, I can feel it too.’

[It’s both impressive and sad.]

‘What do you mean?’

[I wonder what made her turn to such impure energy despite having built up such achievement.]

‘…I agree.’

As mentioned in the brief exchange with Fafnir in my mind.

“…”

The strength of this person who was just staring at me was unmistakably clear.

She wasn’t holding a weapon in her hand but had one at her waist.

Moreover, her right hand, which should be holding a weapon, was supporting my sister on her shoulder, effectively rendering her half-disabled.

Yet my eyes pierced through the martial aura that emanated from her despite being covered in armor.

And my ears detected her composure, maintaining calm breathing without faltering even in this tense situation in the freezing weather.

Truly, her overwhelming yet cold presence seemed perfectly suited to this wasteland’s frigid climate.

Who on earth was she?

The strength my senses detected in her was so admirable that I couldn’t simply dismiss her as someone corrupted by a lust for power just because of the impure energy surrounding her.

Even without relying on the corrupted crimson energy that gently enveloped her armor.

I was certain she possessed enough skill to overwhelm me and more.

This was evident from Excel, who lay devastated around me.

And my sister, still unconscious on the woman’s shoulder.

I’m not joking.

If I carelessly took one step toward that woman.

I had the intuition that I would suffer an irreversible fatal wound from the crimson-glowing sword at her waist.

“…”

This intuition continued to surface as I faced this seemingly harmless opponent who just stared at me without taking any action.

A few days ago, when I faced Adorator’s split soul and Desire’s fragment who had just begun her activities.

Even though I trembled at their power, I never lost my fighting spirit and fought them to the end.

Yet strangely, my fighting spirit refused to rise against the opponent before me.

Why was that?

It couldn’t be that I was overwhelmed by her strength—I had maintained my composure against beings with divinity who emanated the very essence of corruption.

Why was I hesitating, feeling fear about what would happen the moment I reached out toward the opponent before me?

Yes, fear.

The emotion of fear, which I had hardly felt since my regression, was reviving against the opponent before me.

“…”

The opponent still just looked at me through a helmet that didn’t even reveal her eyes.

Neither subduing me nor choosing to escape with my sister.

I’ve heard from Shizu that my impression has softened a lot lately, but has it improved so much that others would stare at me absentmindedly?

[…Seems like you’re doing well enough to joke at a time like this.]

‘It’s just a figure of speech. This is how I relieve the tension of facing an opponent whose actions I can’t predict.’

[Somehow, in these three years, your wit has grown more than your swordsmanship.]

‘I humbly accept your praise.’

[That wasn’t praise…]

While having this nutritionally void conversation with Fafnir, who objected to my strange thoughts meant to relieve tension, the opponent still showed no movement.

For some reason.

I was beginning to think this mysterious opponent had some business with me.

But whether she had business or not, there was no reason for me to accommodate someone who had hurt my precious people and revealed intentions to take them to the Obsidian Palace.

Clank-!!

As if responding to my resolve, the dragon sword’s lock mechanism released with a loud noise.

As if commanding me to draw the sword immediately to protect what I must.

Yes, I must draw it.

Since my regression, one of the precious people I swore never to lose again was over there.

How could I back down?

Shing

Responding to my hardened resolve, the dragon sword made a clear sound as part of it was drawn from its scabbard without me even touching it.

“Huu…”

After a light breath, just as I was about to declare my fighting intent toward the unmoving opponent.

“…A sword with will.”

The distorted voice came again from the woman who had expressed nothing but brief words until now.

From the way she seemed to grasp what it was the moment she saw the dragon sword with its lock just released.

I sensed that this woman had the power to penetrate the essence of things at first glance.

“A sword… I’ve never seen before.”

The distorted voice that followed from the woman’s lips confirmed that my intuition was not wrong.

Was she feeling interest?

Among the numerous legendary weapons that have adorned human history.

Weapons that possess their own will and act on their own are virtually nonexistent throughout the long history.

It would make sense for her to show interest in such a weapon.

Just as my initial impression of her emotionlessness was beginning to dissolve due to her current attitude.

“Do you want Iriana Lanos back? Sword?”

The fairly distinct words that came from the woman’s lips, which had only spoken briefly and abruptly until now, froze my thoughts.

“…You know my name?”

No sooner had I asked the question, trying to contain my confusion at having my name suddenly called by a stranger while maintaining composure.

“I don’t just know your name.”

The woman’s voice, which seemed to have come out reflexively, was still distorted to the point where it was difficult to discern emotional inflections.

“You seem a bit… no, very different from what I knew. But I… know you well.”

For some reason, I felt a warmth in her that was extremely rare among those surrounded by crimson energy and fallen to corruption.

…What is this? Is something about this woman affecting my perception?

“I’m going to make you one proposal to get Iriana Lanos back. I think you’ll listen, since it’s you.”

I felt an urge to reconsider my intention to draw my sword at the voice of the opponent who was making a counter-proposal after rejecting mine.

It felt as if the opponent was restraining me with invisible chains derived from twisted divinity.

Though not to the point of discomfort, I realized that if this continued, I would be helplessly swayed by the opponent.

“Don’t.”

I uttered a firm word expressing my unwillingness to listen to the opponent.

And fully drew the dragon sword that had been partially unsheathed, demonstrating my resolve that there would be no negotiation.

After all, it’s not normal to propose negotiations after refusing to listen to my proposal first.

“If you want to take my sister, you’ll have to either knock me unconscious like that fool lying on the ground, or kill me. That’s the only way.”

With that declaration toward the opponent.

I closed the distance between us at the best speed I could muster at that moment.

After the tedious standoff, what ensued was not compromise but fierce battle.