Ch. 157
“Looks like you tried to be clever choosing her. Big mistake.”
“Pfft, you really think so? I’d say we’ve already secured the first win.”
“More like you’ve secured a grave.”
“You think that cheap psychological tactic will work on us?”
While Chad exchanged mental jabs with the opposing leader, I took off my cloak, carefully hung it on a tree, and braided my hair over my right shoulder.
It made me wonder for a second.
Do I really look that fragile? Fragile enough to be chosen as a key duelist?
Humans really need to drop the assumption that beautiful women are delicate.
[Maybe I’m just too pretty.]
[…]
[Why so quiet?]
[Master… gets drunk on her power… and her beauty… It’s like you’re perpetually intoxicated.]
[Hey! I told you not to squint your eyes like that! And you basically just said I’m out of my mind, didn’t you?]
While shaking Rai by the hair for his sass, it seemed like Ash had been decided as our second fighter.
It made sense—Ash was stronger than Chad.
If Ash went first, I might not even have to fight at all.
“As for the order, we’ll send this one out first. It’s customary to put the mage up front. Standard procedure, hope you don’t mind?”
Hearing that, Ash’s expression grew serious as he approached me.
Which meant I was going first whether I liked it or not.
“Listen closely, Miss Geenie.”
“I know. You don’t even have to say it. I’ll be careful.”
That worried look… Ash must’ve hoped I wouldn’t need to fight at all.
Having a friend is pretty nice, after all.
“…Be careful. Don’t kill him.”
“That’s who you’re worried about?”
“Of course I am.”
“We’ll see.”
“This is a typical duel. All over a small…”
“Small? A room at the inn is not ‘small’ at all! My body’s already convinced it’s sleeping in a bed tonight. You ever try to eat meat and end up with only vegetables? It ruins everything! I ‘have’ to sleep in a bed! I’ve mentally prepped for it!”
“Killing someone just to sleep comfortably isn’t right.”
Here we go again, lecture time.
I picked at my ear and looked away. Rai yawned beside me, also uninterested.
“Miss Geenie! Promise me. You’ll go easy.”
“Yesss, yesss.”
“I’m trusting you.”
“You’re free to do that.”
I muttered sarcastically, but it didn’t stop him from repeating himself like a broken record.
Eventually, I had to pinky swear I wouldn’t kill the guy before Ash let me go.
It’s not like I was planning to kill him, but being told ‘not’ to makes me want to do it out of spite. I’m terrible that way.
“What are the boundaries?”
“Let’s set it over there.”
“Ten-minute time limit per match okay?”
“Hmm… the inn clerk said to be back in an hour, so that works.”
“I’ve got a sandglass.”
Looking over, I saw Lox and the enemy leader setting the rules together.
“Should we ask the spectators to judge?”
“I’ve sworn a neutrality oath at the Temple of Heios. I’ll be the referee.”
“Fine by me.”
Even as I stood around doing nothing, the duel progressed like clockwork.
I was, without a doubt, the most relaxed person in this team.
I wasn’t thinking about anything.
Because I wasn’t thinking at all.
“Then let’s begin.”
Already bored.
Even as the duel was about to start, I felt nothing.
No nerves, no excitement… not even a racing heart.
Wouldn’t it just be faster to blow everyone outside the wall?
A brilliant idea flashed through my mind, but Ash was watching me with eagle eyes.
Sigh. The burden of popularity.
“Before the duel, please make your oath.”
Lox held up a pendant bearing the mark of Heios and gestured for me and the opposing mage to come forward.
I took a few steps and faced my opponent with my chin held high.
Spectators had already encircled us.
My opponent looked to be in his early 30s. Fairly handsome, for a mage, with sharp eyes and a strong jaw.
It was just before the duel, and we were already locked in a subtle battle of glares.
“A duel is a sacred act that honors one’s dignity.”
Clearing his throat, Lox began reciting the oath solemnly.
“You must show respect to your opponent, yield graciously in defeat, and be thankful in victory. Glory goes to the just. Etch this vow into your heart and ready your weapon.”
Most duels began with some form of oath like this. The wording varied slightly, but the message was the same.
And because most duels were between swordsmen, the oath always ended with “ready your weapon.”
It didn’t really apply to mages or Spirit Mages.
“My name is Belama.”
“Geenie.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Spirit Mage. Thought your kind had gone extinct.”
Some duelists shook hands before battle, but clearly that wouldn’t be the case here.
He was already trying to provoke me.
“Gone extinct? You do know we’ve been around longer than your kind, right?”
“If you say so.”
“Countless ancient texts prove it. Spirit Mages came before mages. You guys begged dragons to teach you magic, but we learned from nature itself. Yours is ‘begged’ power. Ours was ‘gifted’. Totally different in dignity.”
Not gonna lie—Spirit Mages and mages don’t get along well.
Mostly because mages tend to look down on us. Probably because there are more of them and they get better PR.
“Spirit Mages always say that to cope. I heard the same from the last one I fought.”
“Yeah? Who was it?”
“Some Earth Spirit Mage, I think. Soon as the match started, he burrowed underground and stayed hidden till time ran out. Never seen a coward dig his own grave like that before. Hilarious.”
Huh. Kill him?
I think I promised someone I wouldn’t, but… who was that again? Can’t seem to remember.
Easy to forget, you know? Promises and all.
“Want me to shorten your casting time? You won’t get to use it anyway. You mages are best when you’re curled up in a corner, whispering spells.”
“You’re pretty cocky for a kid.”
“And you’re proud of being old?”
“…You little—!”
Bring it! I’ll make it painless! I turned to glance at Ash when I felt a sharp glare.
Alright, alright. I won’t kill him. Just maim him a little.
“Then I’ll count down. Get ready.”
Just as the tension peaked, Lox raised one hand into the air.
If this were a sword duel, the blade would be drawn now. And as a Spirit Mage, I already knew who I’d call.
Not Rai. Since I’m fighting as a Spirit Mage… it had to be—
“Ador.”
[Kuhahaha!]
“Didn’t I tell you to tone down your entrance?”
Why do all my spirits show up like summoned demons?
No idea who they take after, but their confidence is sky-high.
To me, Ador’s gleeful laughter was loud and clear, but to the crowd, it just looked like a glowing orb shimmering in the air.
Ugh. Should’ve summoned Undine instead.
“What the heck is that?”
“Dunno.”
“Hey, what’s a Spirit?”
“Isn’t it a kind of mage?”
I could hear the crowd muttering all around me.
They were clearly hyped to watch, some already betting on the outcome.
Not hard to tell very few bets were on me. Their leader’s size gave him a clear advantage in the public eye.
“What is that? A Fire Spirit? I thought Fire Spirits looked like lizards…?”
Even a smart mage wouldn’t recognize a spirit he’s never seen before.
“Not telling.”
“How rude!”
“I’ve got no reason to be nice to you.”
“I’ll knock that smug nose of yours down a peg! Prepare to witness the glory of high-level magic! I am Belama, the 26th disciple of the Grand Mage Rometuraha!”
Since my lifelong nemesis is Rovenin, I’ve studied swordsmen more than mages, so it’s hard to gauge how strong he actually is.
Lox began the countdown nervously.
“Three, two…”
“One!”
The last number was shouted by the crowd.
“You’ll see something you could never even imitate!”
Eyes blazing, Belama raised a staff adorned with a green gem and rapidly began chanting.
From the way mana swirled in the air, the complexity of his chant, and his cocky attitude, I could tell—he wasn’t weak.
Thinking back, their party was actually pretty strong.
There were four of them, but only two could fight, and yet they’d crossed a forest full of monsters and bandits. That alone said something.
Still—meh.
I smiled, pointed my finger at him while he was still in mid-chant.
“Judgment.”
”KABOOM!”
“Ghh…!”
Waiting for a mage to finish casting is as dumb as waiting for a magical girl to finish transforming.
Ever seen lightning strike from a clear sky?
At night, you can see it perfectly. A bolt so powerful it lit up the top of the city wall exploded down in an instant.
Belama, mid-chant, had his hair half-burnt and was thrown backward.
Should’ve gone with a faster spell, buddy.
Now you’re just a smoldering idiot.
[Whew! Holding back took a lot outta me!]
“B-Belama?”
“Belama!”
His teammates rushed over to check on him. He was alive, at least.
Might not be walking for a while… but hey, they say lightning strikes make you smarter. Maybe it helped?
Or not. Whatever.
“Wow… that was cheap…”
“Too much, honestly.”
“Aren’t you supposed to wait for the other person?”
The spectators murmured, but looked away when I glanced their way.
They probably wanted to see something fun, but I’m a one-shot, one-kill kind of girl.
And when I’m tired? Mercy’s not on the menu.
Well, even when I’m not tired, it’s not.
Blowing on my index finger, I turned to face the enemy team’s leader.
That steel sword of his looked like it conducted electricity really well.
“Next.”
(T/N: Geenie being Geenie lol. But does this mean she is finaly showing her other spirits?)