episode_0031

Blood trickles from the torn wound, the aftermath of the shock. Clutching her forehead to stem the bleeding, Arina hurriedly pushes herself up.

She barely evaded Leonah’s sword, capable of shattering boulders, but the blood obscuring her right eye was a problem.

A massive shield came flying from her blinded side, slamming into her body.

“Ghk!”

Did it break?

Arina clutched her unresponsive right arm. Blood clouded her vision, and her arm was shattered—but the bigger issue was Erwin’s presence.

Not only was his position hidden, but even if she knew it, without the aid of her staff, her magic couldn’t reach that distance in this state.

“Erwin, seems you’re not too late.” “Why is he here?”

Arina had anticipated the Hero Party’s growth. Their level was higher than expected, but still within margin of error. The only unforeseen variable was Erwin’s abrupt reunion.

Excluding the demonic lands uninhabitable by humans, the continent was divided into four regions: the Kingdom, the Empire, the Holy Nation, and the Elian Great Forest. The party had four members—excluding the non-combatant porter. If each took one region to search for her, she shouldn’t have encountered two at once.

Another arrow, wreathed in light, targets Arina. She dodges the direct hit, but it doesn’t end there. The arrow embeds itself into the ground and explodes, flinging her body backward.

Leonah stands where she’s thrown, greatsword raised. Arina compresses flames in both hands and thrusts them forward.

Releasing the mana coating suppressing the flames, the compressed fire erupts in an explosion. She creates distance, but Leonah’s armor remains unscathed.

“High magic resistance—orichalcum armor. Did you overinvest just to counter me?” “No need to worry. It wasn’t my money. The Empire provided it. You asked why Erwin’s here? Did you think he’d be in the Great Forest? He’s the only elf in our party.”

The Great Forest, home to all elves, forbids entry to any intelligent lifeform not of elvenkind to protect the World Tree. Conversely, if one could evade elven detection, the forest would serve as the greatest fortress.

Riel Frost had the ability to deceive elven eyes—the worst possible scenario for the Hero Party.

“Took you long enough to get here. While you were leisurely traveling, we used teleportation gates to meet with the leaders of each nation. Now, not just the Kingdom—the entire world will hunt you. The elves included. Thanks to that, Erwin could leave the Great Forest’s search and come here. So? Feeling like surrendering yet?”

It was unfair, but they were the Hero Party—the ones bearing the world’s fate. A single word from them could brand Arina a traitor.

It meant there was no place left in the human world where she could rest easy.

“Stop being stubborn and give up, Riel. This fight was decided from the start. Just accept your fate.” “Fate? You think being used by the bastard who took everything from me, by all of you who ruined my life—that’s my fate?” “No one can win against the world.”

Even now, certain of victory, Leonah keeps trying to persuade Arina with words. The memory of forcibly restraining her in the past still leaves a bitter taste.

If Arina surrendered willingly, the guilt would lessen—just a little.

One arm is broken. With Leonah and Erwin attacking from both sides, gaps in her defense are inevitable.

“Then I have only one choice.”

Arina’s glare at Leonah is fiercer than ever—no, even more savage than before.

“Before I’m caught, I’ll kill as many of you as I can.”

A signal flies from Erwin’s drawn bowstring. Leonah adjusts her grip and charges as the arrow looses.

“[Thousand-Year Frost].”

Leonah’s body freezes over, encased in ice. A glacial barrier deflects the arrow.

As Leonah melts the ice with flames and raises her sword, Arina’s spell is already complete.

Leonah knows this magic—Eternal Frost. An endless blizzard that doesn’t cease until the target is frozen solid, the caster stops, or their mana runs dry.

Flames can defend against it, but there’s no question whose mana will deplete first. The only problem is leaving herself open to Erwin’s arrows.

“Planning to take me down with you?” “You said there’s no hope for me anyway. Better to die fighting than be used by you.” “You idiot!”

Leonah pours all her flame into her sword. The fiery blade extends, now several times longer, covering half the plain. She channels everything to overpower the magic with sheer force.

Drip. Drip.

Tears fall from Leonah’s eyes.

“Do you hate us that much? You’d rather die than be our comrade again?”

Leonah still holds affection for Arina. She isn’t the only one—the others do too.

Choosing the porter as her lover didn’t mean she had to hate Arina—hate Riel, her comrade. Leonah remembers Riel’s bright smiles, her playful teasing.

Every sharp word and action from Arina now cuts into her.

“Don’t ask stupid questions. The moment you chose that bastard porter, you became my enemy.” “Just accept him! Then we could all be happy!”

Emotions surge, and Leonah resents Arina irrationally. She knows her words make no sense, but she can’t stop the frustration.

“We could go back to how things were. Why won’t you?”

Arina is beyond disbelief—only fury remains. It’s like being stabbed and then blamed for bleeding.

“You crazy bitch. Trying to kill me with high blood pressure instead of your sword? This is my fault now?”

In her mind, she curses them with every vulgar, sexual, and parental insult imaginable—but nothing would bring relief.

Only one thought dominates: Kill them.

Arina’s Eternal Frost and Leonah’s colossal flame blade collide—and explode.

Watching the clash of two massive magics filling the plain, Erwin lowers his bow. Firing a warning shot into that explosion would be pointless. A stronger technique might harm Leonah.

Arina and Leonah are flung in opposite directions—Arina toward the castle, Leonah toward the forest. Neither will escape unscathed.

‘Leonah… Did she faint?’

Erwin turns his gaze to Arina. Though battered, she’s twitching, trying to rise. Her unbroken left arm is scorched, injuries severe—but her eyes lock onto Erwin’s position.

‘A victory in their duel. Congratulations, Riel.’

She defeated Leonah—fully armed, even under his suppression. The party’s strongest hadn’t lost her edge.

‘Though I wonder how she’d fare against current Yuria. Still.’

This isn’t just Arina and Leonah’s fight. Even if she won their duel, being unable to continue means she’s lost the real battle.

She will lose.

Right now.

Erwin aims for Arina’s legs—just enough to immobilize her. No need for excessive force.

Twang.

A light arrow flies, slow but precise.

‘Damn it.’

Arina can’t react. Both arms are useless, and her legs tremble just standing.

‘I’ll get hit.’

She crouches, bracing her head toward the arrow. Better to die than be dragged back by them.

But her prayer goes unanswered. A shadow falls over her, and a deep, melodic voice speaks.

“Sorry I’m late, Arina.” “Ian?”

Ian, shielding her from harm, turns with a smile.

“Who else would it be?”

Stunned, Arina stares before snapping back.

“You idiot! How many times did I tell you not to come? Why are you here?!”

Furious, she tries to punch his face, but her arm won’t move—so she kicks his leg instead.

“What about your promise to never lose?” “I already took down Leonah! Two wasn’t part of the plan!” “That’s why I’m here. To even the numbers.” “That’s—! You’re no help! Don’t get cocky just because you blocked that weak arrow! That’s—”

Another arrow flies—far stronger than before, surpassing even the suppression shots she’d blocked.

“Don’t block it! Dodge!”

Ian doesn’t listen. He braces, channeling mana into his sword.

He can’t block it.

Not wanting to see her friend die, Arina shuts her eyes.

But all she feels is a gentle hand stroking her head.