Chapter 238 |
Crackle— crackle—.
"Ugh..."
Golden electricity flowed from Luna's body.
Especially her sword-holding hand had turned black a long time ago.
Yet, Luna did not let go of her sword until the end.
Adonis could not help but admire her determination.
"To think you wouldn't drop your sword even in such extreme pain. That's some stubbornness."
"Would you stop acting like you're always one step ahead? The fight isn't over yet."
Luna charged at Adonis, but he had already moved out of her attack range.
Whoosh—!
One advantage of a spear. The long range.
The spear swung wide and thudded against Luna’s arm.
With the impact, golden lightning struck down.
"Argh!"
Leaning against the wall, Luna gasped for breath.
Mana infused with electricity. That was downright cheating.
'I hate to admit it, but... he’s strong.'
Though she had known this from the beginning, fighting him directly was beyond her imagination.
How could Zero have fought with such a person? It was astounding.
'The outcome is clear.'
But she couldn't back down now.
She needed to become stronger.
For her family's vengeance.
To protect her friends.
Maybe it was because she had allowed too many hits from Adonis.
Her hand trembled. She could feel the strength seeping out of the hand holding the sword.
Luna pulled out a handkerchief and firmly tied it around her sword-holding hand.
She had forcibly bound the sword to her hand.
"I'll bite you to death."
Using the handkerchief, Luna finished tying the knot—a sight Adonis could not help but admire again.
'She's not just a fight enthusiast. There seems to be some other reason... a reason involving friends.'
What could that reason be?
Curiosity raised its head.
But Adonis facing Luna wasn't just due to mere curiosity.
'To think she can still move around after taking dozens of my electric shocks. It's not just because she’s inherently tough... It seems more like her mana has similar properties.'
Mana has 'properties.' And often, these follow familial lines.
The Lucid family had 'wind,' the Rownter family had 'flame,' and Adonis’s family, the Cassel, had 'electricity.'
'Hmm... Which families have the trait of electricity?'
Above all, the mana Luna possessed felt familiar to him.
As Adonis pondered deeply,
Luna sheathed her sword. Then she assumed a certain stance.
Adonis recognized it immediately. The stance Luna had taken was for...
'...Sword drawing art?'
Sheathed the sword, slightly bent her legs and waist.
It was a stance for sword drawing.
At that moment, Adonis couldn’t help but think of someone.
'Renia?'
The head of the Lester family, renowned as one of the strongest of her time.
'Renia Lester.'
'Now that I think about it, she has the same peach-pink hair as Renia. Could she be a survivor from the Lester family?'
He thought there were no survivors. After all, he heard Caron had personally intervened.
Caron’s efficiency was, well, painful to discuss.
But.
'I thought it was strange from the start.'
The idea that one of the Empire’s pillars, the Lester family, had initiated a rebellion.
Even the fact that Caron had presented Renia’s head was unbelievable.
'I don’t know what happened between Caron and Renia. But if it involved a plea to save her daughter?'
Caron might have accepted that request and saved Renia’s daughter.
That child grew up and entered Annwood Academy.
And then Zero found her(?).
'According to Caron, Zero dreamed of being a rat in the Lester family.'
It fits together almost frighteningly well. Though, it’s still just a speculation.
Whether Luna is a survivor from the Lester family or not.
The way to confirm it was simple. The Lester family’s secret technique, 'One Flash'.
If she can use that technique, it will prove everything.
"Draw your sword."
"..."
"Was it just for show? That would be disappointing."
For some reason, Luna did not draw her sword.
Still, it was fine. After all...
'Everyone struggles in the face of death.'
Crackle—!
Lightning struck the alleyway. Fast, yet Luna could barely perceive it.
Blocking, deflecting, escaping.
Such actions were impossible at this speed, but 'One Flash' could have handled it.
Adonis thrust his spear with that speed.
However.
"...!"
Luna showed no movement. The spear's tip reached her forehead without any resistance.
Ting—!
The spear's tip trembled as it made a small cut on Luna’s forehead.
Had he not been a 9-star knight, her head would have been skewered by the spear.
"Why didn’t you draw it?"
"Because I promised a friend."
After being taught by Lucia, Luna's 'One Flash' had started to resemble a true master’s form.
Because of this, Zero and Caron had agreed to temporarily seal Luna’s use of 'One Flash.'
'Using One Flash might put Zero in a difficult position.'
That’s why Luna refrained from using it.
Well, there was the minor issue of her remembering that promise after assuming the stance.
"You could have died! Is your life less important than a promise?"
"Isn’t it obvious?"
The defiance in her eyes, even with a spear before her, told Adonis everything. Luna was serious.
"Not at all obvious! Don’t ever think like that again! These days, people don't know the value of life! Tsk, tsk!"
"Why are you angry? If you didn't intend to kill, then don't!"
Growl—!
Luna charged at him, but Adonis deflected her attacks with movements here and there.
'Such a fierce cat.'
She was nothing like Renia.
'Caron must have known about this child... How much does Zero know? Or perhaps, the two had some sort of deal.'
The descendant of a discredited family was alive.
Keeping such a crucial fact a secret from him.
'Caron, Zero... quite the cunning kids.'
Zero was one thing, but he had not expected Caron to also keep him in the dark.
They had seemingly coordinated to hide the information from him very naturally.
'Quite touching, really.'
Surprisingly, Adonis was moved.
Trying to protect the descendant of a disgraced family among themselves.
It was romantic, truly romantic.
Lost in romantic thoughts, Adonis paused to reflect.
'At that time, I was in the Holy Kingdom, unaware of what was happening.'
He could ask Caron for the full story, but Caron might deliberately withhold information.
After all, he was the one who had taken Renia's head.
'First... I'll have to confront Zero.'
Approaching Caron could wait until later.
As Adonis gathered his thoughts,
"Haa, haa... damn kid. Didn’t even take one hit."
"It's because you were trying to bite me instead of attacking. Who would just let themselves be bitten?"
"Zero usually takes it well. Maybe he enjoys the pain, the pervert."
"...?"
While Adonis was decoding Luna’s words, she had finished preparing to leave.
Now that the outcome was determined, there was no reason for her to stay any longer.
"I'm leaving first. No need to see me off."
"Hold on, what about the price? Aren't we going to talk about that?"
Luna then remembered. If Adonis won, she was supposed to grant him a wish.
"What do you want?"
"Hmm, nothing at the moment. Can I tell you later?"
"Do as you like. Next time I'll win, so I'd advise you not to use it."
Luna waved her hand dismissively, and Adonis looked around distractedly.
"By the way... didn't that kid come with you?"
"Who? Zero?"
"No, the girl who always hangs around with you. She has a strangely faint presence."
"Rezé? Why would she come here? And I'd never bring her where you are!"
"Why is that?"
"Because you're after her! I absolutely can't let our Rezé fall into the hands of a pervert like you!"
"...?"
Suddenly branded a pervert, Adonis watched Luna's retreating figure and muttered,
"Hmm... I wanted to see that girl's skills too."
Her presence was so faint it was hard even for him to detect.
A genius at hiding.
She might seem a bit timid, but Zero wouldn't have taken her on as a companion without good reason.
'She must be hiding some tremendous secret, just like Luna!'
In fact, Adonis was more curious about Rezé than Luna.
But she hadn't come along.
With things as they were, there was no choice.
"I'll have to go find her myself."
At that moment, at the dormitory where Rezé was,
"Ah, achoo!"
Rezé, who was adjusting a camouflage box for the cafeteria, suddenly sneezed.
Quickly hiding herself inside the box, Rezé looked around suspiciously.
"Uh, uhm... what? Something feels ominously... bad..."
She sensed a daunting future approaching her.
She had detected it, but there was no escaping it for Rezé.
*
Today, the Teron I knew died.
Or maybe it was yesterday. I'm not sure.
"Hahahahaha!"
Continuing from yesterday, Teron was blissfully unaware today. There wasn't even a hint of darkness, not 0.001%.
Maybe Teron is already too far gone.
"Hohohohoho!"
"Oh~ Hohohohoho!"
Or maybe all three of them are.
Let's assume Teron and Yuridia are okay, but why is Victoria so happy?
The sideways glances at Luna and me. Everything was strange.
Chaos, destruction, broken(?) things.
What in the world is happening in this classroom? I wish someone would tell me.
It wasn't just them who were strange.
Luna. She was weird too.
"What are you looking at?"
Luna, covered in band-aids, didn't seem in a good mood either.
Where had she been beaten this time?
"Uh... Miss Luna?"
"Don't ask. I'll bite you to death."
Right, I suppose it's rude to ask such things of a lady?
I better keep quiet until Luna's mood improves. I am a gentleman, after all.
"But I should offer some comfort! You want to get bitten?"
"...?"
What am I supposed to do with that!?
"Just die! Just die!"
Luna began to gnaw at my head.
Ah, I see. She just wanted to vent her anger by biting someone?
She should have said so earlier. I would have offered my head willingly.
"Ugh, ughughughugh!"
Whatever was bothering her, Luna was busy grinding her teeth into my skull.
Feeling her saliva dribbling down from my head, I pondered.
'Turning Teron dark is crucial. But the current Teron is almost impossible to corrupt.'
But it's okay. There are still a few triggers left that could darken Teron.
'The upcoming midterms... That's where I'll make my move.'
Then, plunging Teron into despair, I'd push him even deeper, returning him to his original storyline.
It was a perfect plan! Laughter naturally escaped from my lips.
"Kekekekekekeke!"
"Hahahahaha!"
"Hohohohoho!"
"Oh~ Hohohohoho!"
Entering the classroom, Caron thought,
This batch is full of weirdos.
--TL Notes--
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