Chapter 168 – The Eve (6)

After the meeting, we all ate breakfast together before dispersing to attend to our respective duties.

Serr returned to her research.
Hermilla went to assist the others.
Rubia went to heal the wounded.

And I, left with nothing to do, became a glorified bum, wallowing on a crumbling bench amidst the ruins of the mainland.

“[Long time no see.]”

I’d been there for about ten minutes when Kartia materialized beside me, a playful smirk on her face.

“Ah, Kartia!”

“[You actually sound happy to see me? Were you that bored?]”

“J-Just a little. Hehehe…”

I shifted my greatsword to make room for her on the bench.

“What kept you so long…? We had a really important meeting and everything…”

“[I was busy chatting with these guys.]”

“Huh…?”

Kartia gestured to the ice shards and feathers swirling around us, and then to the tail that had sprouted from my backside, a wry smile playing on her lips.

“You can talk to them…?”

“[Not outside like this. But inside your mental space, yeah. Figured that out recently.]”

“Inside my mental space…? Huh…”

“[Yeah, well, it kept me busy. So, what was the meeting about?]” Kartia leaned back against the bench, crossing her legs and eyeing the small pouch at my waist.

“It was about the Beast of the End subjugation… We’re splitting into separate teams.”

As I summarized the meeting, I opened the pouch. Inside, nestled amongst each other, were a variety of colorful jellies, courtesy of Rubia.

A spatially-expanded jelly pouch, crafted by Serr herself!

I’d noticed Rubia carrying this pouch recently, but I never imagined it was a portable jelly stash. She’d occasionally offer me a jelly seemingly out of thin air, and now the mystery was solved.

“Here. Have some, Kartia.”

“[Jelly? You’re carrying a jelly pouch now?]”

“It’s a gift from Rubia.”

“[Hah… Seriously, a perfect gift for you.]” Kartia plucked a particularly vibrant, rabbit-shaped jelly from my hand and popped it into her mouth.

“[So? What’s the plan?]”

“As I said, Serr, Rubia, and I are going to the End of the World.” I stuffed a handful of jellies into my mouth.

“[Hmm…]”

Apple, strawberry, peach, lemon, watermelon… Ugh, watermelon jelly? Why…

“[And the rest of you will handle Brunhilde?]”

My mouth full, I could only nod.

“[And you’re the one who came up with the strategy?]”

Munch, nod.

“[I bet you got an earful for that.]”

I flinched, swallowing hard.

“H-How did you know…?”

“[It’s obvious. You probably suggested something ridiculously reckless again.]”

“Hey! It’s not reckless…! It’s a carefully crafted strategy, a culmination of intense effort and profound wisdom…!”

“[Blocking, dodging, and tanking hits, you mean?]”

“H-Hey! There’s also hitting REALLY. REALLY. Hard!”

Kartia sighed, looking at me with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. She then proceeded to shove another jelly into my already full mouth.

“[Look, I won’t tell you to stop fighting like that altogether. It’s how things are in this world. But at least consider the people fighting beside you. You’re too reckless.]”

“But… you know it’s the most effective method, Kartia.”

“[It’s effective because of your exceptional instincts. But if you get stronger, you won’t have to rely so heavily on such risky maneuvers. You’ll take less damage.]”

She stood up, stretching with a grin.

“[So, how about a spar? I’ll give you some pointers.]”

“A s-spar…? Now?”

“[Yep. We’ve never actually fought, have we?]”

“Umm…”

I was exhausted. No sleep, and that emotionally draining conversation with Rubia…

“I’m a bit tired today. How about tomorrow—?”

“[Chicken?]”

Smack!

“…Let’s do it.”

I set down my jelly pouch, grabbed my greatsword, and stood up.

“[Draw Frey.]”

“Ugh… If I swing Frey around here, I’ll get in trouble—”

“[Chicken?]”

Clang! My greatsword clattered to the ground as I drew Frey.

“…Come at me.”

Kartia chuckled, drawing her own version of Frey, a blade distinct in form from mine.

“[I’ll give you ten seconds. Come on.]”

Ten seconds… of what?

“You mean you’ll just stand there for ten seconds…?”

“[…No, you idiot.]”

Kartia, who had struck a dramatic pose, suddenly deflated, stabbing Frey into the ground.

“[I’ll just defend against your first ten strikes. No counterattacks. No blocks. Pure defense.]”

“Oh… Like a continuous assault?”

“[Exactly. I won’t retaliate until your tenth strike.]”

“Seriously?”

Kartia nodded, drawing Frey again and resuming her stance.

“[If you can even graze me, you win.]”

I tightened my grip on Frey and nodded.

Kartia tilted her head, her eyes narrowed.

“[Are you even trying?]”

“…I am.”

“[Fight like you mean it. Like you do when you’re facing Beasts.]”

“I-I can’t do that to you, Kartia…”

“[Hmm…]” She seemed dissatisfied, still tilting her head back and forth.

Then,

“[Oh, right.]” A mischievous glint sparked in her eyes.

“[Newsflash: everyone knows just holding Rubia’s hand gets your panties wet.]”

BOOM!

In a flash, I was in front of her, my killing intent exploding outwards as I swung Frey with all my might.

“[Ahahahaha!]”

***

“Huff… Huff… Haa…”

Thud.

Kartia’s blade, which had been pressed lightly against my nose, dissipated into nothingness.

“[Not bad.]”

She offered me a hand as I sat slumped on the ground, a smug grin plastered across her face.

“[Still utterly pathetic, but slightly less so.]”

“Thrilling,” I grumbled, accepting her hand and pulling myself up.

My clothes were covered in dirt and dust. Kartia, on the other hand, was immaculate.

A crushing defeat.

But more irritating than the loss itself…

“…Why…? Why didn’t you fight seriously, Kartia?”

Unlike me, she hadn’t put forth any real effort.

Throughout the entire spar, she’d only used one hand.

No magic, no aura, no special techniques—just pure, effortless one-handed mastery.

Infuriating. Maddening. Humiliating.

Was she even human? She’s a monster.

“[Give it a rest. One hand was more than enough.]”

I scowled, brushing the dust off my clothes as she chuckled.

Only then did I take in my surroundings.

The already devastated training grounds were now utterly obliterated. Even the ambient mana had been completely erased by our clash.

And…

“W-When did all these people get here…?”

Practically the entire Liberation Army had gathered to watch.

I quickly scanned the crowd with my detection skills, checking for injuries. Thankfully, a thick barrier of divine and electric energy had protected the spectators. Or perhaps some had been injured, and Rubia had already healed them.

Had I… caused a massive disturbance?

“[We were clashing swords for almost thirty minutes; it’s only natural people would gather. Besides, you were fighting like a bloodthirsty maniac. I’m pretty sure they heard you all the way in the afterlife.]”

Kartia shrugged, waving dismissively at the crowd. The five challengers and Rubia returned the gesture, signaling for the army to disperse. The soldiers, though clearly disappointed, began to scatter.

“It’s all your fault, Kartia…! That stupid comment you made…”

“[It was true, though.]”

“Argh! Just be quiet…!” I snapped, retrieving my greatsword and securing it at my waist.

“[So, how do you feel? Did swinging all-out help you adjust?]”

I flexed my fingers and stretched my arms and legs.

“Hmm… Yeah, definitely better.”

“[And? Any other realizations from our spar?]”

“Realizations…?”

“[Like, did you hit a wall? Grasp some new level of mastery? Anything like that.]”

A wall…? Mastery…?

“The only thing I realized is that I really want to punch you in the face.”

“[You little brat.]” Kartia ruffled my hair, knocking off the remaining dust, her form flickering as she began to dematerialize.

“[Twice a day. Morning and evening. We spar. Don’t overeat, or you’ll regret it.]”

You know what happens if you do… Her voice echoed in my mind as she chuckled and vanished.

My tail flicked out again, brushing against my leg. The ice shards and feathers reappeared, flitting around me playfully.

“…Why are you guys acting all friendly now?”

Rustle, rustle.

“Whatever… Just go away.”

My tail drooped. The ice shards dripped, melting away. The feather drifted to the ground.

They were acting like… pets.

Their behavior left me feeling strangely unsettled.

Why was I able to connect with the Beasts of the End? Why was Kartia suddenly taking an interest in mentoring me? Why did the Beasts of the End regard me with such… expectation? Such longing?

I didn’t understand.

Everything was a confusing mess.

I’d thought overcoming trials and refining my soul would bring clarity. That the complexities would unravel.

But knowing more only added to the confusion.

And the unknowns… only multiplied.

Lost in thought, I returned to the bench and retrieved my jelly pouch, carefully dusting it off before fastening it to my waist.

Then, I heard familiar footsteps approaching.

“Hoo…”

My worries still weighed heavily on my mind.

My thoughts remained a tangled mess.

But,

The path forward remained clear.

“I just told you to be more careful, and yet… Looks like someone needs another scolding.” Rubia’s voice was laced with amusement.

“Hehehe…”

“I’ve finished my work. Shall we bathe together and rest for a bit?”

Saving Rubia.

That was my path.

My destination.

The happy ending to this story.

“Okay…!”

Rubia’s slender fingers intertwined with mine.

“So… if I hold your hand like this… you get wet, is that right?” she whispered, a playful glint in her eyes.

“…Huh?”

“There are too many prying eyes here. We’ll have to confirm it properly once we’re back at our room,” she murmured, leaning closer, her breath warm against my ear. A seductive whisper that sent shivers down my spine.

“Just like me.”