Chapter 70

EP.70 Holy Sword-2

"…What do you mean by that?"

Ariasphil asked with a serious expression. If it was a joke, she would erase the existence of 'brother' with her sword.

But... if it was...

"…You don't know either...?! I just heard it too...!!"

Rios, who was always composed, was rarely flustered. To the point where it couldn't be a joke or a lie.

"…No way..."

It can't be. After the fierce battle in the magic tower, she had received such a promise, and they had kissed in both dreams and reality.

It was incomprehensible for Leo to betray her in such a situation.

"…No way... Alfred..."

Rios, feeling an inexplicable sense of guilt, muttered 'Alfred's name several times, but Arias, who was equally confused, couldn't hear it well.

"…It can't be... Why... again... Leo..."

Unwanted imaginations kept coming to mind. A sinister delusion arose, wondering if his absence was related to it.

"…Grandfather...!"

Just before she was about to panic, Arias saw her grandfather. Marcken, who rarely came to the mansion, being there gave her an inexplicable sense of unease.

"…Where is Leonardo?"

Marcken, her grandfather, also looked quite grim as he searched for Leo. It would be better if he found Leo and scolded him as usual.

"Chris-sama...!"

This time, she looked at her aunt. Chris, who usually had a conceited expression, had a face deeply filled with guilt.

"…No way... He hasn't come yet?"

"…Why... Why are you looking for him...?"

Arias was almost on the verge of sobbing. Please, just tell her the reason...

"…I'm sorry..."

An apology came out. As the unease turned into certainty, despair seeped in.

"…Leonardo... has decided to... return his knighthood...!"

He barely managed to convey the heavy news, having to raise his voice to deliver this difficult fact.

"…Why...?"

The thought that came to mind after hearing the confession was neither anger nor despair.

"…Why...?"

A pure question, one that was impossible to understand.

"…It was because of the Elder Council's reprimand. Under the pretext of paying for the sins mentioned there..."

"…Sins...?"

Who was talking about the boy's sins?

"Leo has worked hard..."

It was a fact that no one could deny.

"More diligently than anyone here...!"

Everyone had to admit it.

"…Why...! Why didn't anyone...!!"

Why didn't anyone tell Leonardo that it was okay?

"Who said that...! Who has the right to drive away my knight... to drive away my man?"

The Elder Council was also confused. They probably didn't expect such a result.

"Where is the Elder Council...?"

Everyone in the room froze instantly. Did the spirits resonate with her emotions, or was it the temperature of the air that turned cold?

"Even if you confront the Elder Council or make them apologize, it won't make a difference. Leonardo must have already lost faith in us... because of what we did."

As Arias said, Leonardo had accomplished more than anyone his age.

It was just pitiful adults who envied him and trampled on his efforts. Hoping he wouldn't be disillusioned was a selfish desire.

"…Is that all...!? Leonardo would protect me in any situation...! He made every effort to protect people...!!"

Arias couldn't hold back her tears and sobbed.

"Are we just... going to give up on Leo...!!"

"…I'm sorry for always putting the choice on you."

Marcken handed her an object wrapped in black cloth.

"If you want to stop him, take this."

"…Stop...?"

"We lost our qualifications long ago. We don't have the ability to persuade him."

When the cloth was removed, a red flash illuminated the surroundings, emitting the heat of flames. A burning fireball was refined into the shape of a sword.

"…This is...?"

"But Arias, you are the only one here who has both the qualifications and the ability."

It was the Lava Sword, Huacheng.

"If you've learned spirit magic, you should be able to handle Huacheng. Using Huacheng will increase your chances of winning against Leonardo. So..."

Thud

She grabbed the handle of Huacheng.

"I'll bring him back."

As Arias held it, the red blade of Huacheng began to burn blue.

"By any means necessary."

Her blue eyes also glowed fiercely.

The surroundings were filled with heat from her emotions and the flames.

***

The moon set, and the sun slowly brought the future of tomorrow into the present of today.

The sunlight seeping in woke Leo, who was using a tree stump as a pillow, and illuminated his path.

[Get up. We need to go.]

"Yeah, we do."

Shaking off the leaves and dirt from his clothes, Leonardo got up. His destination was the Rhinehart family mansion, his workplace and home.

[Are you ready to take off your clothes while bowing?]

<Rather, I'll take the beating until I die.>

[Just enjoy the beating, and I'll forgive you. Try to moan and groan.]

Was it a suggestion to enjoy the difficult situation, or a perverted suggestion? Probably the latter.

"...Sigh..."

Upon reaching the main gate of the mansion, a vast garden came into view. The vast garden, which now felt like a front yard, was familiar.

The only thing that felt special was that a girl was standing at the gate instead of the guards and gardeners.

[You've been waiting for this, haven't you?]

It was Ariasphil. Leaning against the gate, she had been waiting for more than a few hours.

[Have you lost your fighting spirit?]

<I'm ready.>

She would probably take the beating until she died.

"You're here."

She opened her eyes and looked at the boy who was about to resign as her knight.

"Sorry for being late, but... it seems I'm too late."

Her calm, almost brazen words made Ariasphil close her eyes for a moment.

"..."

A moment of silence passed with the gentle breeze.

"Are you really going to leave?"

Her question floated on the wind.

"I'm not leaving; I just can't stay."

It might make a difference to him, but to others, it would be the same.

"...Is that so?"

But Ariasphil tried to understand.

Thud

Her gloved hand, a testament to that boy's way, flew and landed in his hand.

"...Do you know what this means?"

"I can accept this."

Phew, Leo couldn't help but laugh at her method. It was too clear and pure a laugh to be a sneer, so Arias didn't get angry.

"Ha... I'm sorry. It reminded me of the past."

"...When we first met, it was like this too."

Thinking about it, that day was the beginning of everything. The start of a long and strange relationship began with that duel.

But Ariasphil wouldn't know. The memory Leo recalled was not the beginning but the end, an end that shouldn't have happened.

"...Then, to the training ground..."

"No. Let's go outside, like in the old days."

"...Alright."

The end and the beginning formed a circle. It was a moment when the finite life of a boy seemed to approach the infinite.

***

The chosen battlefield was a small courtyard in Rhinehart, small enough but large enough for a duel considering the size of the family.

"There are... quite a few people."

Around them were the knights leading the future of the Rhinehart family and Ariasphil's family.

Not only that, but all the servants of the Rhinehart mansion had gathered in the courtyard to watch the battle.

"Really... you're going to quit?"

Alphonse, his senior, approached Leo, asking as if he didn't want to believe it. No one wanted him to leave so pointlessly.

"I'm not sure."

But Leo hid his intentions and headed to the center of the courtyard.

"We'll know after this duel."

No one could stop such a Leonardo.

He was not a knight or a mercenary but a demon.

Ordinary people couldn't stop him.

"The signal to start is when this glove drops."

Leo held up the glove Arias had thrown and asked.

"...Understood."

"Then..."

Leo threw the glove high into the air. Everyone's eyes followed the glove as it ascended and then began to fall.

An unexpected wind blew, causing the glove to wobble and fall at an irregular speed.

And as the glove fell from its twisted trajectory,

BOOM!!

A deafening sound and a flash of light, the shockwave concentrated on the glove, causing a burst of light and sound.

His consciousness was interrupted, and his nerves were paralyzed. The human mind becomes blurred when faced with sudden changes.

Especially when focused on something, unexpected events can be even more shocking.

KAH!!

Using a double cast of light and sound magic, Leonardo immediately launched a sword strike. Arias, caught off guard by the sudden attack, was unable to counter or defend.

"Blocking with just your senses... You still have a terrifying talent."

Her vision and hearing were sealed by the shock. In fact, her mind should have been paralyzed, but Ariasphil was already beyond normal.

"What are you doing, you coward...! That's not like you...!"

"Coward? Of course."

Leo delivered a roundhouse kick, sending a shockwave. The flexible counterattack sent Arias flying.

"I'm not a knight anymore. There's no reason for me to follow your 'fair play.'"

This was how Leonardo fought.

"Then, can you save your life by being a coward when you die?"

"…When I die... You can't be...!"

He didn't answer. Showing her through action was better than such a dialogue.

"...It doesn't matter...!!"

Ariasphil got up again and drew Huacheng, which she had prepared. Her vision and hearing were not perfect, but she had to use it now or be defeated.

"Is it Huacheng? You've prepared well. I have too."

Whoosh

Blue flames enveloped Huacheng. The heat alone was enough to feel its power.

"From the first time you handled it, it was blue... You have a great talent."

BOOM!!

The fiery demon, the blue flame sword aura, flew, burning the ground. Leonardo didn't flinch.

[Wind Armor - Modified Sword Aura]

There was no need.

A 1st Circle wind defense magic modified into a 2nd Circle form, the wind surrounding the sword gradually enveloped the blue flames, drawing them into Leonardo's sword strike.

And as Leonardo released the wind-encased sword aura, the flames were also released.

Arias was hit by the released flame mass again.

"Ariasphil, did you think you could stop me?"

The cold tone in contrast, even those around her had never seen such a boy.

"Then give up. Your sword doesn't have the goal I'm looking for now."

The sword pointed at her was chillingly cold.

<+--|-|--+>