Reason to Grow Stronger (1)

The duel ended with Aris’s overwhelming victory.

Jonathan’s cunning plan, the Mana Oath, ended up being a self-defeating move.

Since they had sworn absolute obedience to the duel’s outcome, those who followed Jonathan had no choice but to surrender without a shred of resistance.

The moment they broke their oath, their dantian and heart would be crushed on the spot, leaving them as invalids.

“Then, we will escort you to the Heavenly Sword Palace.”

“Ugh!”

“Damn…!”

― Clank! Clank!

Jonathan’s swordsmen and mages, with magic power sealing devices locked on their wrists, were led away by the Heavenly Water knights.

“Sir Jonathan… How could this be…?”

Victor Craven, the Cheonwol Knight Commander, was also dragged away without exception.

“As expected, lady Aris!”

“So this is why you accepted the Mana Oath…! You did it to keep bloodshed to a minimum!”

The knights and soldiers who had accompanied Aris were busy showering her with praise.

“The city wasn’t destroyed at all, and the only casualty is a single traitor!”

“There were six Grandmasters facing off against each other!”

“The whole city could have been blown away.”

“There’s no one but Lady Aris who could end this so cleanly, purging just one traitor!”

“That’s what makes her a hero! Lady Aris is the treasure of Hisperion! A treasure!”

Aris simply returned a humble smile at all the praise.

That smile only caused the soldiers’ cheers to swell even louder.

― Waaaa!

― Lady Aris looked at me!

― Ohh! Ohhh!

― Hero! Hero!

Seeing such scenes, it’s easy to understand why Aris is so meticulous about managing her image.

Those people would probably leap into hellfire itself if Aris gave the order, considering it a glory.

Happy to offer themselves as sacrifices for the hero’s just cause.

When in truth, they’re just being deceived by hypocrisy and becoming scapegoats.

“Thank you, everyone.”

Aris gave a gentle wave to the soldiers and then walked toward Ian.

Her hand still gripped Vladiark tightly.

‘Gives me chills.’

The way she’s approaching with a sword…

She overlaps with Ian’s memories of Aris from his previous life.

With that ghostly look, drenched in blood, Aris used to walk toward me…

“Ian?”

Ian was lost in the past for a moment, and before he realized it, Aris was right in front of him.

When she smiled warmly at Ian, for some reason the stares from the soldiers prickled at him.

“Thank you for letting me use it,”

Aris said as she returned Vladiark to Ian.

“It’s a truly fine sword. Makes me want to keep it for myself.”

“……”

Ian reluctantly accepted Vladiark.

‘… Makes her want to keep it?’

Was that a roundabout way to say she wants it now? Vladiark?

‘So this is why Aris came to save us?’

Did she come for Vladiark?

Is she going to demand Vladiark as the price for saving our lives?

“……”

Ian looked up at Aris.

“…? Is there something on my face?”

Aris just tilted her head innocently.

Thinking that such a pure face hid a nature as cruel as a venomous centipede sent chills down my spine.

‘But…’

Still, this time I really owed her.

‘Who would have thought I’d be saved by this woman?’

If Aris hadn’t appeared so dramatically, Ian, Javier, and the others would’ve become ground meat beneath Jonathan’s greatsword, and Yuria would’ve been kidnapped again, turned into a gruesome puppet in Rudeus’s hands.

‘I definitely owe her. A debt of my life, at that.’

So I had to repay that debt.

Even if Aris was the mortal enemy who had killed me and been killed by me in my past life, even if she was clearly an evil person—

The fact remains: Aris saved me and Yuria.

‘I should properly express my gratitude.’

Ian held Vladiark out to Aris once more.

“If you wish, it’s yours.”

“Sorry? What is?”

“My sword. Didn’t you say you wanted it?”

Of course, losing Vladiark would be a huge loss for Ian.

Maybe even worse than losing his right arm, in terms of combat power.

But Aris had saved both him and Yuria.

If his life was the price, then at least Vladiark was fair compensation.

‘And…’

If Aris wants Vladiark, it might be better to just hand it over for now.

Right now, she’s maintaining her image, so she won’t take it by force.

But eventually, if she wants Vladiark, she’ll try every trick to get it.

‘Aris is a maniac who’d use any means necessary to get what she wants.’

The greatest risk is not knowing what crazy thing she might do to get her hands on Vladiark.

‘If only I were at least Swordmaster, mid-stage…’

Frankly, at his current level, Ian had no confidence he could withstand her schemes.

So, for now, giving it up seemed like the safer option.

‘If necessary, I can get it back later… For now, handing it over is right.’

However—

“What are you talking about?”

Instead of taking Vladiark, Aris clasped Ian’s hand with both of her own.

I could feel the soldiers’ stares growing even sharper from a distance.

“This sword is yours, young master. It’s a precious legacy bestowed on you by the ancestors at the Sword Lake. Not just for me—even for anyone else—you shouldn’t easily hand over ownership of it.”

“……”

The refusal was extremely gentle, but it only made Ian’s head a muddled mess, like facing a really tough math problem.

Didn’t she want Vladiark?

Or was my timing just off handing it over?

Should I wait until we’re alone and give it to her then?

I’d have to meet Aris alone?

Damn. I really don’t want that.

As Ian was grinding his teeth and spinning all sorts of thoughts, a breeze gently brushed his ear.

[You want to repay me for what I’ve done for you?]

It was an aura message from Aris.

“I didn’t help expecting any reward.”

Aris gave a gentle smile.

[Even if you don’t offer it first, young master Ian, I’ll make sure to claim my reward from you later.]

What gleamed in her slanted eyes was unmistakable desire.

It flared so hot and vividly that it was hard to believe only I could see it.

‘She’ll make sure to collect later, huh…’

It was a terribly ominous statement.

It sounded like she was saying she’d use any excuse to take whatever she wanted from me, whenever she wanted.

[You were expecting this, weren’t you, young master?]

“……”

Ian locked eyes with Aris.

[You… Seem to know me.]

In her smiling eyes, that same greedy flame burned.

‘Haaa…’

Solve one kidnapping problem, and another arises immediately.

‘What does Aris even want?’

What will she demand from me from now on?

Aris wanting something from me was about as unpleasant as discovering a cockroach under my pillow.

‘But even so…’

Ian gripped Vladiark even tighter in his hand.

‘The aura stored in Vladiark right now is immense.’

If he absorb this and grew quickly, even if Aris made a difficult demand, he might find a way to get out of it.

‘I need to hurry. I have to become much stronger, as fast as possible.’

The reasons to grow stronger were endless.

* * *

What a relief to have gotten through that crisis.

Yuria returned safely to the Heavenly Sword Palace and would remain under protection in the underground chamber of the family head’s quarters until the lord returned.

Javier and the knights from the Investigation Division said there was still more to investigate and headed to the detention center where the traitors were imprisoned, to make a proper report to the Heavenly Sword Lord.

Ian returned to his separate residence, lunabreeze.

It was the late hours of the night, the moon high in the sky.

There was still a long time before sunrise.

‘Sophia’s probably asleep.’

Afraid of waking Sophia, Ian quietly opened the door and tiptoed up to the bedroom.

“Hm?”

But—

“What the…?”

Sophia, who should have been sleeping in bed, was nowhere to be seen.

“Sophia?”

She wasn’t in any of the other bedrooms, not in the bathroom, not in the study, nor the kitchen.

“What… the…?”

After rescuing the kidnapped Yuria, now Sophia is missing?

“Haaa…? No way. This can’t be.”

Raking his hair in frustration, Ian checked the private training hall in the basement of the house.

“Ah.”

Thankfully, Sophia was there.

But—

‘Why is she sleeping here?’

Sophia had passed out, sprawled right in the middle of the training hall.

“…?”

Soft breaths.

Her chest gently rising and falling.

A wooden sword gripped in her hand.

She wore just light shorts and a tank top.

“She’ll catch a cold like that.”

Why in the world was she sleeping here, like this?

Ian would ask her the details tomorrow.

For now, he stepped closer, planning to carry her to bed.

But—

“Mm…?”

In that moment,

Ian noticed Sophia’s palms were covered in blisters, the skin peeling away.

Strips of skin had come off, revealing raw, red flesh beneath.

‘That must hurt.’

Did she really keep swinging a sword here until her hands got this bad?

‘……’

Ian looked at Sophia with a complicated expression.

Now that he saw her up close, she was covered from hair to toe in dirt and grime.

Apparently, she hadn’t just been swinging a sword—she’d also pushed herself through intense basic conditioning exercises.

“Haa… Sss.”

She overdid it, Sophia.

“Mm…mm?”

When Ian sighed beside her, Sophia stirred, her brow twitching groggily as she woke up.

“You’re awake? Sophia.”

“Master… You’re home… Ahhhh…”

She yawned, stretching her back upright.

“Ow!”

But as the wound on her palm hurt, she winced, arms hugging herself tight.

“Let me see.”

Ian knelt down on one knee, taking her hand.

“Aish… What is this, really.”

Her palm was bright red, dried blood and dirt caked into the wound.

“I’m going to disinfect this and treat it, so brace yourself. It’ll sting.”

“Wait… I just woke up! Give me a moment to prepare myself—”

“There’s no such thing. Not with people who don’t take care of their bodies.”

“H-how could you…! Kyaa! Ahhh!!”

Using the Authority of Projection, Ian squirted disinfectant like a water gun on Sophia’s palm, then projected a healing potion to treat the wound.

It must have hurt quite a bit, because Sophia wriggled and stomped her feet.

But since it was late at night, she tried her best to stifle her screams.

“Sophia. You overdid it. I know you want to do your best, but this is not the right way.”

It’s no use to push yourself like this for a day and spend three days in bed.

Even if you only push yourself halfway, if you do that every day, the total amount of training is much greater in the end.

And—

“If you keep this up, your body won’t last.”

The amount of training is important, but above all, Sophia’s health matters most.

If you wreck yourself for ten years, do you plan to spend the rest of your life sick?

You’re going to live a long time—you should consider your old age, too.

‘Sophia seems too anxious lately.’

If I want to stop her from overdoing it again, I need to ease her anxiety a bit.

‘Let’s calm Sophia down and get her to bed, and in the time left tonight, let’s also absorb the aura stored in Vladiark.’

It was still far too early to sleep.

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

Time to eat…

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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