Chapter 87, Having Too Much (1)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

*Swish!*

 

The ice spear created in an instant shot forward.

 

The distance between Arsene and his opponent was barely three steps.

 

Because of this, Arsene’s ice spear reached the opponent’s chest the moment it was created.

 

*Clang!*

 

But the opponent blocked it.

 

The ice that struck the solid marble floor shattered into pieces.

 

‘If you move after seeing it, death. If you move after hearing it, certain death.’

 

That was Arsene’s ice. It was just that fast.

 

Nevertheless, the opponent was either deflecting or avoiding the sharp tip of the ice before it touched his body.

 

Arsene had already lost count of how many of his attacks had been blocked. No matter where or in which direction he launched his ice spears, they were all blocked.

 

Around the time when the gazes of those distantly surrounding them fell upon the ice fragments on the ground, three consecutive explosive sounds erupted following Arsene’s hand.

 

*Swish! Swiish! Swish!*

 

Three ice spears targeting the heart, the nape, and the crown of the head simultaneously cut through the air. At the changed attack pattern, the opponent’s lips drew a long arc.

 

His body, holding a sword, moved quickly, leaving afterimages.

 

*Claaang! Tang!*

 

After easily deflecting the ice flying toward his heart, he immediately twisted his body, extending his sword and then retracting it. The ice falling from above was blocked by the extended sword, and the ice coming from behind was blocked by the returning sword.

 

*Plop, plopplop!*

 

The ice that fell to the floor inevitably scattered into pieces. It meant that he was not merely deflecting the ice but delivered enough force to shatter the ice upon contact with a flat surface. Arsene continued his attack without stopping.

 

*Swish!*

*Claaang!*

 

The fiercely rushing ice spear once again plunged headfirst onto the floor.

 

It was not that Arsene was weak. His opponent was just that strong.

 

If one considers that the Beurisen Knights were dying one by one from a single one of these ice spears, one could roughly gauge how strong the person facing Arsene now was.

 

*Swoooosh!*

 

Streams of ice poured out from Arsene’s fingertips.

 

The ice, condensed like needles, thin and sharp, clearly numbered more than a dozen.

 

Seeing their number, the sword disappeared from the opponent’s hand.

 

No. Rather than disappearing, it would be more accurate to say that it changed shape in an instant. The sword, which had been emitting a sharp edge, had now become a round, flat shield.

 

*Tadadadang!*

 

The opponent, who blocked the attack with the newly created shield, kicked the ground.

 

Seeing the opponent, who had only been blocking attacks until now, rushing right up to his face, Arsene immediately manipulated his Mana. His figure, which disappeared without an incantation, appeared behind the opponent.

 

Though the target had vanished, the opponent did not panic. With a flowing motion, he swung his shield toward his back.

 

*Whoosh!*

 

At that moment, Arsene’s face showed dismay as his body disappeared again. The shield, which ended up cutting through the empty space where Arsene had just been, quickly took the form of a sword again.

 

But this time, it was not a longsword but a dagger.

 

At the same time, Arsene appeared at a place slightly distant from his opponent.

 

*Swoosh!*

 

As if he had already read that thought and movement, the opponent’s dagger flew to where Arsene appeared.

 

“Eek!” Startled, Arsene quickly manifested a shield. While protecting his body with it, he was about to teleport again when—

 

*Crack!*

 

With an ominous sound, the flying dagger penetrated the shield.

 

The shield, which had remained intact despite several attacks from the Beurisen Knights, was pierced by a single dagger. The shield, which had been glowing white for a moment, futilely disappeared.

 

Soon, the blade, like a glass shard, rushed straight toward Arsene’s neck. It happened in the very brief moment when Arsene hesitated after realizing his shield had been destroyed.

 

At that moment, when everyone watching felt the danger—

 

The dagger, which seemed as if it would pierce his neck at any moment, abruptly stopped as if someone had grabbed it. Then, as if scattering into the air, it lost its form and disappeared.

 

Though, that was only after it had left a small wound on Arsene’s neck.

 

*Gulp.* Feeling a slight sting on his skin, Arsene dryly swallowed. If the dagger had not stopped and disappeared, there would now be a hole exactly the size of the dagger in Arsene’s neck.

 

It was Arsene’s defeat.

 

Arsene raised both hands and spoke.

 

“I lost, Your Highness.”

 

Kalian, who had unexpectedly visited after a long time and had a bout with Arsene, nodded with a smile.

 

“Well done, Lord Hertz.”

 

At those words, the Mages in white robes, who had been watching their bout without even breathing, all stood up at once.

 

Cheers spontaneously erupted from everyone’s mouths.

 

“Woaaah!”

 

“Splendid!”

 

Even if he was not using his Aura, he was still a Sword Master, was he not? Having witnessed Kalian and Arsene exchanging attacks right before their eyes must have been quite a spectacle.

 

Amidst the cheers shaking the training ground, Kalian, after a brief smile, took out a handkerchief from his bosom and handed it to Arsene.

 

It was because of the blood dripping drop by drop.

 

“I’m surprised. Now you can teleport without any incantations?”

 

“It hasn’t been that long. Lady Grace’s help was significant.”

 

It was a modest answer, attributing the credit to Rachel Grace, the master of Teleportation Magic.

 

Soon, the two stood side by side and began to leave the training ground. During this, Kalian looked at Arsene and asked.

 

“But is there a need for you to attack up close against someone with a sword?”

 

It was so just now, and recalling the end of Bern, it was the same. Arsene approached right up to Bern, blocked his sword, and destroyed it.

 

Arsene replied as if it were nothing.

 

“If I’m distant from my opponent, there’s no fun in fighting, is there?”

 

Kalian looked at Arsene with a speechless expression.

 

Even with teleportation, Mages inevitably have slower bodies than those wielding swords. After all, didn’t Arsene himself fail to act after his shield was broken just now?

 

Despite this, this Mage, who specializes in attacks, enjoys exchanging blows with a Sword Master up close.

 

“You almost died just now.”

 

When Kalian said this, Arsene grinned.

 

Watching Arsene, who lives risking danger just for fun, Kalian nodded without further comment.

 

After all, Arsene had caught Bern too.

 

Of course, he had no arms, had not slept for more than three days so his concentration was terrible. At the time, he had about a dozen arrows stuck in his body, lost a lot of blood, and could barely stand upright.

 

But still, Arsene was a Mage who had defeated a Sword Master.

 

[Well, I guess he would manage somehow.]

 

“Don’t teach the other members to do that.”

 

“Of course not. Don’t worry.”

 

Arsene, who answered respectfully, stroked the nape of his neck with his hand and said.

 

“But I was really surprised when Your Highness threw your sword. If it comes to that, there’s no point in fighting at a distance. It’s truly remarkable that you can maintain the Mana Sword even after separating it from your hand.”

 

It was a sincere compliment.

 

Kalian replied as if he still had a long way to go.

 

“I can briefly maintain it long enough to be thrown, but beyond that is difficult.”

 

Then he added in a very nonchalant tone.

 

“Once I throw it, I can’t control it or retrieve it.”

 

“What?”

 

[Wait a moment. You can’t control it or retrieve it?] Arsene, who had abruptly stopped, asked again with a peculiar expression.

 

“Knowing that, why did you still throw it?”

 

Kalian smiled.

 

“Faith in your skills, my Lord.”

 

[What is this nonsense about faith!? Isn’t he just saying I was lucky it disappeared in front of my neck?] Arsene had a face full of things he wanted to say.

 

The Mages, who could not have known what Arsene was thinking, gathered around. They were the members of the Valkan Mage Order, now increased to about 50.

 

Realizing he could have been on his way to cross the Senu River on a flower petal if things had gone wrong, Arsene cursed Kalian as if talking to himself.

 

However, due to the Mages excitedly chattering after enjoying the spectacle, the curse Arsene uttered probably did not reach Kalian’s ears.

 

But Kyrie heard it all.

 

* * *

 

Soon, Arsene called the Mages into the training ground and began educating them on the lessons to be learned from the exchange of attacks earlier. Sitting in a chair outside the training ground, watching this scene, Kalian spoke.

 

“What do you think?”

 

It was not a soliloquy. It was a question directed at Plants, who was sitting right beside him. Plants, sitting with eyes that showed disinterest in worldly affairs, asked.

 

“About what?”

 

There was a reason why Kalian had come out on this lovely spring day and had a bout with Arsene.

 

It was because of Plants.

 

Of course, it was not as if he had come on a friendly picnic with Plants.

 

The Valkan Mage Order.

 

It was not just a group of Mages clustered together, shooting out fireballs. If it were, they would not have earned the infamous nickname ‘Demons’.

 

In the past, Valkan was founded by Rmain, but Plants used it.

 

So, who made them ‘Demons’?

 

It was Plants who made them into ‘Demons’ in Kalian’s past life.

 

“Those Mages, don’t you want to train them?”

 

Kalian knew that in his past life, Plants had entrusted all state affairs to Sillike and focused solely on nurturing Valkan.

 

Of course, Plants was still young. He could be different from the past. But Kalian also knew that Plants was very different from ordinary people of his age.

 

“You’re barking again.”

 

Plants, who swung a sword, was suddenly being asked to train Mages. He naturally let out words that did not hide his discomfort. Since Kalian heard this once a day anyway, he paid it no heed. At this point, it was just part of his daily ritual.

 

“I’m not asking you to teach them how to wield the sword.”

 

Though they were receiving military training even now, Kalian grew ambitious. He thought, why delegate the task to someone else when the original owner was just sitting ‘criminally idle’ beside him?

 

Hearing Kalian’s words, Plants chuckled and said.

 

“I don’t understand why my Little Brother calls me out for a task you can do well yourself.”

 

At those words, Kalian smiled back and said.

 

“What I know isn’t from this country, so it will be exposed.”

 

By now, Plants was also moderately aware of Kalian’s secret. Kalian had told Plants the same story he had told Rmain.

 

Of course, how could Bern, who was a Prince and a Knight, not know the strategies and tactics of Cyries? It was just difficult for him to be directly involved in Valkan’s affairs.

 

“I already have a lot on my plate, and if I manage Valkan too, many troublesome things will arise.”

 

By now, Beurisen and Randel would also be well aware that Valkan’s power was not to be underestimated. Therefore, Valkan should not yet become Kalian’s. The balance of power had to be maintained until either Beurisen or Randel remained alone.

 

And there was one more significant reason why Plants should be involved with Valkan.

 

“If you stay in my shadow without doing anything, you will eventually be killed.”

 

Kalian said to Plants with a serious face.

 

The gate of the Beurisen Marquis Family had opened. It meant that Evan had started moving again.

 

“Older Brother, you and I have joined hands, but you do not have a proper force backing you, right? Marquis Beurisen will surely try to eliminate you first.”

 

Plants silently looked at the training ground. He seemed to be contemplating, so Kalian did not say more and just waited.

 

Behind them, the sound of someone approaching was heard.

 

“Prince Kalian.”

 

When they turned their heads, Ian was standing there. He had the kind of expression that said he really did not want to say it, but had to.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Marquis Evan Beurisen has requested a meeting right now. What should we do?”

 

Understanding his scheme, a smile appeared on Kalian’s lips.

 

“He’s coming to check if my Aura is visible?”

 

[How amusing.]

 

Evan would now consider himself weaker than Kalian.

 

Kalian, who had not just been playing around all this time, did not refuse and nodded.

 

“Tell him to wait. I’ll go.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Turning his head back to where the Valkan members were, Kalian said to Plants.

 

“See? He’s making it obvious right away. Ian surely told him that I was here with you. Nevertheless, he specifically requested to meet me, which means that in Marquis Beurisen’s eyes, older brother, you no longer exist.”

 

Plants still did not answer. Not because he did not understand, but because he knew the same thing.

 

“So for Valkan, why don’t you take charge of it?”

 

“…Fine.”

 

Having received the desired answer, Kalian rose from his seat with a light heart and left the training ground.

 

[Now, time to check how much sharper the old lion’s teeth had become.]