Chapter 34

EP.34 A Three-Week Vacation - 5

She couldn't even open her mouth.

It was such a ridiculous statement that anyone who heard it would be flabbergasted.

It was a lie so absurd that it could make one burst into laughter and even cause breathing difficulties.

But in front of that bold and powerful presence, she couldn't even utter a sound.

"Marriage...? Are you serious...?"

The village chief Anus, who hadn't expected such a response, stuttered for a moment.

"...Th...at..."

It wasn't just the village chief who was stuttering. Aria, who had spoken so loudly, also stuttered, feeling her face turn as red as heated iron.

"...No, there's no point in asking more. I've seen enough of those who only talk and do nothing at this age."

Anus straightened her bent back and stood up. Although she supported herself with her cane, her unhesitant rise was intimidating enough.

"Follow me. A proper 'conversation' isn't something to be had here."

As Anus took the lead, Aria followed her out without realizing it. Leo, who had been thoroughly flabbergasted, also went out unconsciously.

***

Their destination was the center of a dense forest. Once they were away from the village, there were no traces of human artifacts to be seen.

Standing in the clearing of the forest, Anus looked at Aria and her companions who had followed her and said,

"This place will do."

"...What do you plan to do?"

Leo, standing beside Aria, was more on guard. The way he was stroking his bracelet gave a hint of his sharp vigilance.

"A conversation between women, so don't interfere, you brat."

Saying this, Anus raised her cane at a right angle and pointed it at Aria.

"You, come over here and stand."

"...What?"

"Are you deaf, young lady? Do I have to repeat myself to an old woman?"

With the harsh words, Aria found herself standing in front of Anus without realizing it. As Aria stood in front of her, Anus tapped the ground with her cane and said,

"As you can see, I'm the kind of person who hates talking."

It was a statement that naturally made one nod and scratch their head.

The contradiction of a person who hates talking proposing a 'conversation' was inevitable.

"So I enjoy 'conversing' through the most intuitive means."

At that moment, rocks sprang up from the ground in a circular formation around Anus's cane. The circular array was completed in an instant.

"Magic...?!"

Seeing the magic, similar to what Leonardo had used, Aria immediately drew her sword.

"Old woman! What are you doing!?"

Leo also drew his sword, his voice unusually agitated as he pointed it at her.

"I told you not to interfere, men."

This time, a bolt of lightning struck. An electric barrier was cast to prevent Leonardo from approaching. It even had a soundproofing effect, so Leo's loud shouts from beyond the electric barrier were barely audible.

"...More magic...!"

Aria was surprised, not just because of the magic, but because it felt different from Leonardo's, even though it had a similar effect, making her even more cautious.

"Now we can have a proper 'conversation'."

"...Is this what you call a conversation?"

The circular formation of rocks and the wall of lightning were far from a setting for a quiet conversation.

"If you draw your sword against me, it's not a conversation. You're quite aggressive against an old woman, aren't you?"

"...You used magic."

Anus laughed mockingly, as if the idea was absurd.

"Yes, that's a valid point."

With a softened voice, Anus picked up another wooden stick and threw it to Aria. Aria, still holding her sword in one hand, caught the stick.

"...Why...?"

"If you fight with this stick instead of your sword, and manage to hit me even once, I'll cancel what I said and apologize. Whether you get married or have a child, I won't care."

At these words, Aria's face turned as ripe as a fruit in an autumn field. She could now reflect on the meaning of her own words with a sense of shame.

"But if you can't hit me even once before Leo that idiot comes in, give up on any relationship. It will be hopeless."

Saying this, Anus channeled mana through her cane. Aria, whose face was still flushed, threw her sword and held the wooden stick with both hands.

'I know how to counter magic thanks to Leo. But...'

Anus's magic was different from Leo's. It wasn't just a difference in power or speed.

'...Water magic?'

The essential nature of the magic was clearly different. The proof was the blades of water flying without a magic circle.

With just a wooden stick, it was impossible to counterattack, so Aria rolled to the side to avoid the liquid sword strikes.

"You have some talent for dodging."

There was no time to care about the taunts. She focused her energy at her dantian and activated her mana core.

"Ho, the title of genius isn't an exaggeration. To be a three-star at your age..."

Three stars quickly glowed, circulating mana through her body. Through two years of effort, Aria had already brought her core to three stars.

"But your refinement doesn't match your talent."

This time, lightning rained down. Flashes of lightning, charged with electricity, fell like a shower on Aria.

'...Definitely different from Leo.'

Now she could clearly see the difference in the magic being used.

"How... without a magic circle...!"

So far, Anus had used magic without incantations, hand signs, or even a magic circle, and she did it continuously.

"Those pretty eyes aren't just for show. But I don't have to answer that."

Crack!

A crack appeared in the lightning barrier with a loud noise.

"Looks like there's no time for answers."

Continuous explosions echoed. The cracks in the barrier grew wider. Between the explosions, Anus launched magic attacks in rapid succession.

'...I need to stay calm.'

In the chaotic battlefield, Aria thought calmly while dodging the attacks.

Leo always created a magic circle when using magic. Her brother Lios did the same, so most magic required a magic circle.

Incantations and hand signs could be omitted, but the magic circle, the backbone, couldn't be removed.

So

'There's only one thing to consider now.'

Aria focused the power of her mana core on her eyes. The sudden improvement in vision increased the strain on her eyes, but it didn't matter.

With this wooden stick, it was impossible to concentrate aura for a powerful attack.

Instead of counterattacking, she focused on exploration and strategy.

[...You're dodging well, huh? Hehe~]

[Why don't you give up here? It's painful to torment a pretty girl.]

With her mana-enhanced vision, two figures began to appear that she couldn't see before.

They were strange in shape and place, not quite human, and not quite spirits or demons, but mysterious beings.

[That girl can see us, it seems!]

[Really? This could be a good opportunity to change jobs.]

"Be a bit quieter."

Despite Anus's words, the mana spirits continued to giggle, looking at Aria.

"...What are those..."

"If you've seen them, there's no choice."

Anus fully channeled her mana, materializing the spirits around her. Not just the two spirits beside her, but all the minor spirits in the area were revealed.

"...What are these..."

"They are spirits, more accurately, spirits that have settled in Dolen."

Spirits, beings Aria had heard of even though she was a novice in magic.

Born from mana, they were intelligent life forms that existed wherever there was mana and could appear at any time. They were the spirits.

"I lacked talent as a mage. In terms of mana alone, you are better than the brat who broke the barrier."

Looking back, the amount of mana Anus emitted wasn't much. Compared to the power of the magic she used, her mana was modest.

"But with the help of the spirits, it's not difficult to deal with a brat like you. Especially in my hometown forest."

Then everything would make sense. The reason Anus didn't draw a magic circle and could cast powerful magic was explained.

'So she deliberately chose the forest...'

Anus was a mid-level spirit mage, not at the top or upper levels.

However, if the place of battle was her hometown, where she had lived for decades,

The spirits of the area, with deep bonds of affection and resentment, would inevitably support Anus with all their might.

That was the nature of spirits.

"From the way you're listening to my explanation, it seems you're ready to give up."

Boom!

A fierce sound of destruction, and the lightning barrier completely collapsed.

"Aria, miss!!"

"Yes, instead of struggling, it's not bad to just be protected by your beloved, is it?"

The continued provocation, but unexpectedly, Aria didn't get angry.

She could prove she wasn't by winning this battle.

"Innis, Nimbus, let's finish this."

[Oh, give her a break. You're too strict.]

[It's just that you're not being honest. Last time, during the rain ritual...]

The two spirits, shaped like humans, giggled.

"Stop the unnecessary talk..."

Anus couldn't finish her sentence. Sometimes the senses of an old person are useful in sensing danger or fear.

The experience of an old woman was telling her.

"...Nimbus... Innis..."

That girl was more dangerous than any other being.

-Who are Nimbus and Innis?

-Well... they look pretty, but...

These two spirits were the ones who had been praised as beautiful by Leonardo.

By sheer luck, they met Leonardo before her,

And they must have heard such praise before her.

Just seeing their detestable faces made her head hot and her grip on her weapon tighten.

[What... that girl suddenly has such determination...?!]

[Anus!! Block it quickly...!]

Snap

Aria broke the wooden stick with the strength of one hand. And at the same time,

Whizz!

She threw half of the broken stick at Anus.

"..."

By the time she reacted, it was almost colliding with her face. She hastily defended, but the intensely angry Aria didn't allow such a luxury.

The sound of arrows in quick succession.

Instead of arrows, broken branches rained down like a storm.

"Barrier!!"

[The mana for the electric barrier isn't recharged!!]

"Damn...!"

Such an attack wouldn't kill her, but it would hurt.

The problem was...

'There might be the remaining stick mixed in...!'

The condition for winning the bet was to hit with the stick. If the stick even grazed one of those branches...

"...Leo only taught me bad things. But...!"

If she mobilized all the spirits around her to defend in all directions, she could block the hidden stick.

Rocks, wind pressure, lightning, and water sprays repelled the stick. It was a weak defense compared to the barrier, but it was enough to block branches.

[...Wait... that woman...]

Focused on the projectiles, they didn't notice where Aria had gone. The other spirits also couldn't pinpoint her location due to the defense.

[Where...?]

At that moment, they all looked up.

"AAAAAA!!"

Aria leaped into the air and charged at Anus.

Even if she hurried to defend, it was too late.

That strike was far more powerful than the feint she had thrown earlier.

All the defenses were penetrated, and the dramatic counterattack crossed the battlefield.

The attack had already hit.

Her loyal knight could only witness the beautiful spectacle at the last moment.

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