Chapter 77: Assault (5)

 

The swordsman, Walter, was in a devastated mood as the battle dragged on longer than anticipated.

 

He had previously been informed of the prince and princess’ outstanding abilities, but he had never imagined he would struggle against them to this extent. No matter how much they were said to have inherited the strongest divinity of the Sun, weren’t they still not of age?

 

They were merely sixteen, their blood still fresh and young. Was this how ordinary people felt when facing geniuses?

 

It wasn’t mere luck that had allowed him to occupy a seat among the ten highest-ranking priests within the Church. The position, symbolic of the power the Church held, was based on a strict meritocracy. The divine favor he received came only after he ascended to that position; even before that, Walter was powerful enough to deserve such an esteemed place.

 

With every swing of his sword, Walter began to understand why the Archbishop had ordered him to kill them.

 

Despite not being fully grown, they shone so brightly.

 

If they were allowed to grow further, the Church’s mission would inevitably be pushed back by decades, if not centuries.

 

‘At least one of them must die,’ he thought.

 

If the current situation persisted, people would come to rescue the duo. He was struggling as it was; if reinforcements were sent in, it was clear what the outcome would be.

 

Walter wasn’t afraid of death, but he was afraid of dying without leaving a mark.

 

Time kept ticking, and Walter’s decision was swift.

 

He unleashed the darkness he had held back until now and charged toward Orcus and Noel, who awaited him within the barrier magic called sanctuary.

 

The duo’s teamwork in parrying Walter’s sword was exceptional.

 

Both were immensely talented, but if there had only been one, Walter wouldn’t have struggled like this. The reason Noel and Orcus had survived so long was that they clearly recognized each other’s weaknesses and strengths, complementing and amplifying them.

 

Whenever a gap appeared, it was promptly covered by the other.

 

The perfect counter was irritating, but Walter did not retreat. Instead, he pressed further into the barrier.

 

Noel’s face slightly crinkled in response to Walter’s noticeably enhanced swordsmanship.

 

She could sense the delicate balance of power they had maintained was now tipping. She tried to deflect his sword, but the difference in their skills was too vast. She was unable to escape Walter’s overpowering force.

 

Realizing the shift in circumstances, Orcus hurriedly fired a magic bolt at Walter. However, because Walter was so close to Noel, the trajectory of the bolt was limited. Walter pushed Noel with force, evading the bolt’s path.

 

It seemed the tables had turned, but Walter had his own issues.

 

“Gurgle...”

 

Although he hadn’t been directly hit, dark blood began to stream from Walter’s mouth as if he had been gravely injured.

 

He had drawn upon a power inside the barrier that was almost antagonistic to his own. It wasn’t that Walter had refrained from using this power because he didn’t want to. He knew if he used it carelessly, he could destroy his body without achieving anything.

 

But Walter no longer had the luxury of time.

 

‘Even if it’s just one of them…’

 

Even if he had to resort to forbidden arts, he intended to fulfill his mission.

 

The divine power, clashing with the barrier’s sacred energy, began to boil inside him.

 

If he didn’t leave the barrier quickly, the blood vessels in his body would rupture, causing him to collapse. However, the power he could harness by pushing his body to such limits was immense. Walter’s strength, with the full blessings of the divine, was incomparable to before.

 

Only moments ago, he had been evenly matched with Noel, but now he could overpower her with just one hand. With newfound confidence, Walter drew back his fist, imbued it with energy, and drove it straight into Noel’s abdomen.

 

“Ugh-!”

 

“Noel!”

 

A short cry escaped, but Walter didn’t hear it to the end because Noel’s body was sent flying. As if he had been waiting, Walter sprung up, chasing Noel as she soared out of the barrier.

 

“Damn it! Hey, you b*stard! Stop!”

 

Orcus shouted and immediately pursued, but being a mage, he couldn’t keep up with Walter’s speed. Walter, entering the forest, cut down trees in his path to block the way. It was a crude method that could easily be overcome, but if it bought him even a moment, it was enough.

 

The impact of the punch must have been significant, for she was barely able to rise using her sword as a crutch.

 

Ordinarily, even for an aura user, a punch of that magnitude should have pierced straight through the body. But perhaps due to the protection she was receiving from Orcus and the inherent sturdiness of the royal lineage, it seemed she was merely severely injured.

 

Upon spotting Noel, Walter’s sword emitted an aggressive aura towards her.

 

Unlike when his power was restrained by the barrier, a massive wave of sword energy infused with dark divine power now descended upon her.

 

Rather than raising her sword to defend, Noel rolled to dodge the attack.

 

Her movements, due to her injuries, weren’t as fluid as usual. While she managed to avoid the attack by maximizing her innate senses, the internal injuries had made her movements sluggish.

 

It didn’t take long for her struggles to wane.

 

“Argh!”

 

Her overexerted body quickly reached its limits. Unable to withstand the pain any longer, Noel’s balance faltered, and she crumbled to the ground.

 

Her breathing was ragged. Whether it was from using up all her energy while dodging or from her injuries, she lay motionless.

 

Seeing her in this state, Walter was convinced that this next strike would be the end for both him and her.

 

He too wasn’t in the best condition. Forcing out power had taken a toll on his body, and his situation was deteriorating rapidly. The blood seeping from beneath his helmet was evidence of that.

 

He wasn’t sure if he could finish off Orcus, who was tailing him, after dealing with Noel, but the solace he found was in being able to decisively finish at least one of them.

 

“It’s over.”

 

Looking down at the immobilized Noel, Walter declared. He didn’t lessen his grip on the sword. Even if he felt certain of victory, he didn’t want to leave any room for error.

 

As he raised his sword, the red aura emanating from it seemed to grow, as if ready to erase Noel from this world. Despite the odds, he was about to accomplish his mission. With satisfaction, he swung down.

 

At that moment.

 

A bird with vibrant blue feathers darted towards Walter’s head.

 

Taken by surprise, Walter halted his swing and instinctively dodged. Turning his attention to the bird that had lunged at him, he noticed it was surrounded by a sparking blue electricity.

 

“Ha! Now what’s this commotion all about?”

 

The sudden appearance of this unworldly creature momentarily stunned Walter.

 

While anything could happen in this world, why now of all times? It felt like the world was telling him he wouldn’t succeed in his mission, and he wasn’t too pleased about it.

 

He immediately tried to slash the bird, but his sword met only air. The bird had vanished as if it were a mirage. There was no trace of it, and the noisy electric sounds had ceased.

 

As if the event had been an illusion, the blue bird left no trace. Yet Walter’s gaze remained fixed straight ahead.

 

Beyond where the bird had vanished, in the depths of the forest, a pair of eyes resembling those of a dragon watched him intently.

 

He was on the brink of accomplishing his mission, even if it cost him his life. Why couldn’t he turn away? He felt a paralyzing pressure bearing down on him. The dragon-like eyes staring at him from the shadows wouldn’t let him divert his gaze.

 

In that moment, Walter had an instinctual realization.

 

Because of the entity before him, his mission would fail.

 

Breaking free from the oppressive weight, Walter swung his sword at Noel. His lightning-fast strike was aimed at the neck of the girl lying beneath his feet. Given her position and his speed, it would be difficult for her to fend off this attack.

 

That was what he thought.

 

As he brought his arm down, Walter found himself staring not at Noel’s severed head, but at his own hand severed at the wrist, dripping with blood.

 

His hand, still clutching the sword, was flung into the air.

 

Given the state his body was already in, there was no pain from the loss. However, he could no longer remain standing. Like a deflated balloon, Walter crumpled to the ground.

 

His eyes had lost their spark, but his helmet concealed that fact. As his vision faded into darkness, a fleeting light crossed his eyes. That was his last memory.

 

***

 

Noel had a dream.

 

Moments ago, she was rolling through the forest to avoid death, but now, she was seated in an open garden, sipping tea.

 

Before her lay all the things she loved.

 

The assortment of sweet and tangy fruits placed before her was delightful, but what touched her heart most was seeing the faces of those she cared for, all gathered, laughing and sharing stories.

 

The vividity made it feel real, but she knew she had no memory of such a moment; it had to be a dream.

 

But what did it matter if it was a dream? It was purely joyous.

 

Noel murmured to herself, looking at the two sitting before her.

 

Seeing the smiling faces of Damian and Elena, she too was infected with their joy, smiling back.

 

She couldn’t make out the topic of their conversation. Their lips moved, but no words reached her ears. Yet, simply being in this moment made her heart swell, so Noel basked in the warmth of the scene, her laughter joining theirs.

 

Elena scooped up a spoonful of the strawberry parfait in front of her and offered it to Noel. Naturally, without any hesitation, Noel savored the parfait, and as it appeared, its taste was exceptionally sweet.

 

The cold whipped cream topped with strawberries and syrup. Just the texture alone felt like a burst of sweet strawberry flavor filling her mouth.

 

‘Once I wake up from this dream, I should eat parfait with Elena.’

 

***

 

“Elena... the parfait... so sweet...”

 

“What kind of dream is she having...?”

 

I gazed at Noel, who was mumbling in her sleep. When I first found her, she seemed to have suffered grave injuries, but perhaps due to the immense amount of divine power she possessed, she appeared to have recovered significantly in a short time.

 

“Considering she’s even talking in her sleep, she must be okay... Thanks to you, she survived, Parang.”

 

Expressing my gratitude, Parang, who was perched atop Noel’s head, responded by nodding its beak, as if acknowledging my thanks.

 

Was it because this creature was created by a dragon? It understood human speech and was quite special.

 

If Parang hadn’t intervened then, Noel might have lost her life sooner than in the original history. Thanks to Elena having placed it with them beforehand, a situation that could have become even more complicated than the original plot was avoided.

 

Could this also be the influence of me becoming Damian?

 

Because of me, many things have changed. Perhaps due to a butterfly effect, events that were originally supposed to happen might be progressing in a different manner, and maybe even faster.

 

It wasn’t a certainty, just a conjecture. So I decided to set aside this issue for a while. There might be other factors at play. Regardless, if my hypothesis was correct, I was able to prevent Noel’s demise, which was a good thing.

 

“For now, come down from there.”

 

I patted Parang’s head a few times and lifted it onto my arm.

 

From not too far away, Orcus was rushing over. Given that he was incredibly protective of his sister to begin with, seeing a bird perched on Noel’s head might just drive him to turn Parang into a roasted chicken.

 

Well, it was not like this little guy would let that happen easily.

 

“Parang, this is just medical treatment, okay? Don’t tell Elena about this.”

 

Holding Noel’s hand, I conveyed this to Parang.

 

To any onlooker, speaking to a bird might seem odd, but I was serious. Even though I hadn’t observed them for long, it seemed like Parang and Elena could communicate. I was worried about any miscommunication that might occur.

 

I’d rather tell her myself.

 

Elena wasn’t the type to fuss over holding hands with a friend. However, recalling the incident in the training ground made me more cautious with my actions. Though the circumstances had changed since then, still...

 

I held Noel’s hand, channeling my mana into her.

 

While Noel naturally had impressive healing abilities, assisting her like this by stabilizing her veins and mana channels would accelerate her recovery.

 

“Uhh...”

 

Not long after I channeled my mana, Noel’s lips parted again. I hoped she might wake up, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The words she murmured were similar to her earlier sleep talk.

 

“I’m using it... Damian... I’m using it... Ahh...”

 

‘What is she dreaming about?’

--- END OF CHAPTER ---

 

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