INAV 19

Chapter 19

To Protect You

Yeah, every match is really a battle of wills. Once your mind falters, an opening always appears!
Not missing the moment when Cailian’s expression twisted, Himena raised her sword again and charged forward.
“Haah! Tah!”

But her psychological tactic backfired—it only provoked the man, who had been on the defensive until now, into attacking seriously.
“Haaht! Taaht!”
Clang! Clang! Claaang!

They say a master recognizes another master.
The moment Cailian, who had only been parrying so far, put real power into his blade and struck, the murderous force behind his sword made Himena’s spine go cold.

Ugh! Incredible! None of the opponents I’ve faced since the preliminaries even compare. They said it was just a sword, but this man’s blade feels like it’s infused with some kind of magic! Damn, my wrist… I can’t…

Just as Cailian raised his sword to deliver a final blow that would knock hers away, Himena instinctively spun and delivered a fierce back kick—because she knew that dropping her weapon meant the end.

Thwack!!
“Guhhk!”
Fwoooosh—
Thud!!

For a moment, silence fell.

“Captain!!”

It all happened in an instant.
Cailian, struck squarely in the face by Himena’s spinning kick, head twisting violently, toppled outside the arena like a felled giant tree.

“Captain! Captain! Wake up! What are you all doing? Get him inside at once!”

Unconscious, Cailian was carried away by his knights, arms and legs lifted high, disappearing into the fortress.

“Uwaaaahhh… It’s over… Everything’s over…”
“Please stop crying, brother. Everything will be fine…”

Believing Cailian was dead, Himena collapsed against a remote section of the wall and wept bitterly, while Royce crouched beside her, patting her back.

“Uwaaaahh… Royce… You don’t understand… The world is finished now… I… I destroyed it… I’ve doomed the world… uwaaahhh…”
“Come on now, it can’t be that bad…”
“H-hic… Royce… What am I supposed to do now? Hic…”
“Well… worst case, you die, right?”
“You heartless jerk… hhic…”

Kra-kooooom!

Suddenly, lightning struck and rain began to pour.
Shhhhhh!

“Uwaaahh… See? Even the gods are angry… Waaaahhhh…”
“Please get up, brother! You’ll get soaked!”

With no other choice, Royce hoisted Himena—who was wailing at the heavens with arms outstretched—and carried her back toward the barracks.

“Uwaaahh… Oh, gods! Punish this wretch that I am…!”

Kra-kooooom!
“Gah!!”
“Captain, you’re awake?”
“Hahh… hahh…”

Startled awake by the thunder, Cailian blinked in confusion, unable to grasp the situation.
When he sat up, he found himself in his own chamber.

“Thank goodness you’re conscious.”
“Weil… what’s going on? Why am I here…?”
“Don’t you remember? During the morning match, while sparring with Hermes, you took a kick and…”

Then Cailian remembered.
Provoked by Himena’s taunting, he had raised his sword to end the duel—when suddenly there was a flash, darkness, and then nothing.

“Ha! A dishonorable kick in a sword duel?”

Anger welled up in him again.

“Where’s that Hermes, or whatever he calls himself? Did he run off?”
“Not at all. He was stunned for a long while, then suddenly realized what he’d done and broke into wailing sobs. He’s in the barracks with the other contestants now.”
“And the rest of the matches? Looks like it’s raining outside.”

Rain lashed against the windows, wind howling.

“After you were carried off, the weather turned suddenly. But the rest of the duels were held simultaneously and ended without issue. The knights only need to confer and decide on the final qualifiers.”
“Already dark, huh. Damn, what a disgrace…”
“So I suggest this, Captain: since night has fallen and the rain is heavy, we should let the contestants rest and announce results tomorrow morning.”
“…Fine. Do as you see fit.”
“Yes, sir. Then please rest.”
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
“Bring that Hermes to my office right now. I can’t let this slide.”
“…Yes, sir.”

Weil shivered at his lord’s furious expression and hurried off.

“Sniff, sniff…”
“Enough whining!”

As she followed Weil down the dim corridors, Himena lamented her fate.

So, this is how my second life ends. Trying to save the world, only to destroy it instead… and then to be executed… sob.

“We’re here. Go in.”
“Sob… damn Rolex. If this is the end, he could’ve at least said goodbye… instead he’s out drinking with the others… sob.”
“Get in, I said!”
“B-but… what’s inside? A m-monster waiting for me?”
“Monster?”

Weil recalled the terrifying expression of his furious lord waiting inside, and shivered again.
“Well… close enough, maybe.”
“Even if I deserve punishment, throwing me to be eaten by a beast is too much…”
“Quiet! Just go in already!”
“…Fine. I’ll go.”

Creeeak.
“H-hello?”
Bang!

“Eek! Don’t slam it shut like that…”

Inside, the room was pitch black.
Himena crept forward slowly, waiting for her eyes to adjust.

“M-m-monster… you there? Not that I care…”

Kra-kooooom!

Another flash of lightning revealed two red eyes glowing in the darkness, silhouetted against the window.

“Eeeek!!”

Himena squeezed her eyes shut in terror.

Click. Fwoosh.

Then, the sound of a flame being lit. Warm light seeped into her eyelids, and she peeked open.

“Welcome, Hermes.”

The study was dimly lit by a lamp.
Cailian sat on the desk with arms crossed, back to the window, glaring at her like a predator eyeing prey.

“M-Marquess?”
“Yes. The very famous marquess of Aktikos, at your service.”

Himena blinked in shock.
“You’re… alive? You didn’t… die?”
“Ha! You think a cowardly kick like that would kill me—”
“Marquess!!”

Whump!

“Ugh! What the—!”

Himena suddenly threw herself into his arms, clutching him and bursting into tears again.

“Waaahh! You’re alive… thank goodness… really thank goodness… waaahhh…”
“L-let go of me! What are you—”

Cailian stammered, utterly bewildered by her sudden outburst.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to… I came here to protect you… I wanted to keep you safe… waaahhh…”
“Hah? Protect me?”

Himena released him, sniffling like a child.

“I’m sorry, Marquess. I hurt my wrist before the match… it was hard even to hold my sword. But if I dropped it… the duel would’ve ended… and then I wouldn’t be able to protect you. So… instinctively, I kicked instead…”

“Your wrist?”

Only then did he notice the bandage wrapped around her swollen right wrist.

“How badly did you—”
“Ahhh!”

When he touched it, she cried out in pain. He hurriedly unwrapped the bandages, revealing a wrist swollen and discolored.

“You fool!”
“I-it’s fine…”
“You fought like this? Still holding a sword?”
“But… I had to protect you…”
“Protect me? What nonsense is this? Why would you need to protect me?”
“Because you’re the hope of Granelpis!”
“…What?”
“You’re the last hope of the Granelpis continent. Of course I have to protect you!”

For a moment, Cailian felt struck dumb, as if someone had hit the back of his head.

“Kael! Run! Get out of here!”
“No, Mother! Let’s go together! I won’t leave you!”
“You must… survive, Kael… You’re… the last hope… of Granelpis…”
“No! Mother! Mother!!”

“Ugh…”

Cailian pressed a hand to his forehead, groaning.

“Marquess? Are you okay? Is it because of my kick earlier? Hey! Is anyone out there?”
“No… it’s not that. It’s… never mind.”
“Sob… Marquess, I’m sorry…”

Watching her tear-streaked face, Cailian let out a sigh.

Haaah… I called her here to make her confess to whatever she’s plotting, and instead she’s spouting this nonsense…

“Sniff, sniff.”
“A famous figure of Aktikos reduced to this—swollen wrist like a club, face a wreck.”
“Sniff… my eyes look tiny now, right? They’re not normally this small, but I cried so much they swelled… sniff… I can barely see…”

She rubbed her puffed-up eyes miserably.

“Pff—unbelievable. Weil! You out there?”
“Yes, Captain.”

Weil entered.

“Take her to the physician and have her wrist treated. The bone might be fine, but make sure it’s done thoroughly. Stay with her.”
“Treatment? Oh, no need, I’ll be fine—”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Go.”

“Um… what happens to me now? Am I going to prison?”
“Prison?”
“Yes… because I… kicked you…”

She muttered meekly, stealing glances at him.

“No. I won’t throw you in prison over something that happened in a duel. Worry about your wrist first. The rest will be decided tomorrow.”
“Really? Oh! As expected of the knight commander—you’re so magnanimous! Haha.”

Pat, pat.
“Ow, ow ow…”

Himena, grinning, tapped his shoulder then clutched her wrist and rushed to the door.

“Sir knight, hurry, it hurts so much…”
“Address me as Vice-Captain! And stop whining… We’ll be going, Captain.”
“Good.”

Even after Himena and Weil left, Cailian sat dazed for a long time.

“None of this makes sense… Wait. Why did I call her here again?”