“You’re not forgetting your promise to apologize if I win, right?” Kirine glared at Viarte, her voice a low growl. Viarte, unfazed, returned the glare, her expression as cold as ice.
The day of the duel had finally arrived. Despite the murderous intent in Kirine’s eyes, Viarte remained calm. “If you want, I’ll apologize as many times as you like,” she said, her voice flat. She still couldn’t understand why she was supposed to apologize, but it was a small price to pay.
However, she added, “That’s only if you win.”
As soon as she finished speaking, there was a deafening thud and a cloud of dust erupted before her. Kirine blinked in disbelief. Viarte had effortlessly slung a massive greatsword, larger than her own body, over her shoulder as if it were no heavier than a feather.
No one said anything about a greatsword! Kirine’s gaze darted to Ares. He returned her look with wide eyes, clearly as surprised as she was.
You should trust the right people, Kirine thought bitterly. She felt betrayed, as if she had placed her faith in an unreliable ally only to be stabbed in the back.
“Shall we begin then?” Viarte asked with a smirk. She slammed the greatsword onto the ground, sending a cloud of dust into the air.
***
“Damn it, damn it, damn it!” Kirine hissed, her voice filled with frustration. Every time she blocked her opponent’s massive greatsword, her body throbbed with pain. Her arms, shoulders, and legs ached as she fought to keep her footing. Despite her suffering, Viarte remained calm and collected, as if this was nothing more than a casual sparring match. This only fueled Kirine’s anger.
“If only I could use magic,” she muttered to herself. If she had her magical abilities, she wouldn’t be reduced to this pitiful state. Why do I have to go through this?
Suddenly, the bracelet on her wrist became an irritating reminder of her predicament. As the duel was to be fought solely with swords, magic was forbidden, and the bracelet suppressed her magical abilities. It would automatically unlock after a certain period, but until then, she was powerless.
No matter how I think about it, this isn’t fair, she thought. With only a week’s worth of training, she was expected to defeat a seasoned foreign general. Maybe I should just run away with Sasha, she considered. Perhaps that would be the wisest course of action.
Just then, she felt the ground beneath her feet tremble. Looking down, she saw faint cracks beginning to form in the floor. It wasn’t her imagination.
“Wait! Stop for a moment!” she shouted, waving her hand frantically. But Viarte seemed oblivious to her plea, pressing her attack even harder.
“There’s no ‘wait’ in a duel,” Viarte replied.
“I’m serious! Just stop for a moment—”
Before she could finish, an ominous rumble echoed from deep underground, and the cracks began to spread rapidly.
“An earthquake!” someone shouted.
“The ground is collapsing!”
“Everyone, get out of here!”
As the earth tore open beneath their feet, people screamed and fled in all directions. Kirine, too, tried to escape, but the ground beneath her had already crumbled. She clung to a nearby pillar, her grip tightening as panic set in.
“Kirine!” “Kirine!” Ares shouted, reaching out to her. His outstretched hand was filled with such desperation that Kirine hesitated, momentarily lost in thought.
“Grab my hand, quick!” Ares yelled.
Ares, who typically recoiled in disgust from even the slightest touch with others, despite wearing gloves, was now offering her his hand. It was both curious and strange to see him acting so out of character.
“What are you waiting for? Hurry!”
Even in this dire situation, where they needed to escape immediately, Kirine stood there, staring at him, her mind racing. Ares shouted in frustration, but Kirine remained still, her gaze fixed on his outstretched hand.
“Kirine!”
Then, her focus shifted elsewhere. Through the cracks in the collapsing ground, Viarte was pinned under a pile of broken stones, writhing in pain.
No. Ares’s eyes conveyed the message clearly. If Kirine moved towards Viarte, the ground beneath her would undoubtedly collapse.
“That’s not the way,” Åres, his voice filled with impatience. As much as he sympathized with Viarte, Kirine’s safety was paramount. They could rescue Viarte later, once they were in a safer place.
However, Kirine’s gaze remained fixed on Viarte.
“Come here!” Ares shouted, his voice edged with urgency. Kirine’s eyes flickered towards him, a flicker of recognition passing over her face. For a fleeting moment, Ares felt a surge of hope.
But it was short-lived. Kirine’s brow furrowed, and she turned away, her determination unwavering. Without hesitation, she began to run towards Viarte.
Ares could only watch her retreating figure, his heart sinking into despair.